Chikoenvy
by Silent Sigh
Summary: This is my first of a fanfic ever, so please r&r! It's an AAML, although the two of them have to overcome their differences first, and a little pokemon isn't too keen either. Now complete!
1. The break

Disclaimer - All characters in this fanfiction belong to Nintendo, and all of the creators and owners of Pokemon. I own nothing, although I wish I did!.   
  
Notes about this story. This occurs sometime after Charizard leaves and "Chikorita's big upset." The 3 human characters can understand Pikachu, ("whose speech is noted like this.") *All thoughts by any character are encased like this* "and normal conversation like this" "Other pokemon have the noises they make like this, and the translationis either obvious or will be hinted at."   
  
This is my first EVER fanfic of any sort, So I'd like lots of R&R and suggestions, and preferably no flaming although if anyone feels the impulse I guess I can't really stop you anyway. Okay, on with part 1!   
  
Chiko-envy Part 1   
By Dan.   
  
Picture a scene. The sun shines down, view only obscured by a few errant clouds which hovered in the sky, as if modelled by cotton wool and stuck into place just as a reminder of how it could be. Pan downwards, see a few green and brown mountains sat in the hazy distance, as they have for thousands of years, motionless and ageless. Further down, nearer to the viewer, a forest, a seemingly endless crowd of green, moving as if blades of grass in a rich pasture. A distant city sits, waiting. Look closer. A leafy glade. A few figures stand in it. Come closer. One, a tall girl of about 14, with red hair tied back, stands with a glazed look in her eyes. One, a young man of about 17, with spiky brown hair, looking on with mild interest at what is in front of him. One, a large, hulking man of indefinite age, could be anywhere from 30 to 50, eyeing the young man standing opposite him with a calculating look. And one, a teenaged boy of around 13 or 14 tears, wearing a read and white hat with unruly hair sticking out beneath it. He returns the look of the man opposite fearlessly. They both nod, and reach into their belts...   
  
  
*Typical. Thought Misty. Just when you want to be in a hurry, Ash has to go and run into every trainer in a 20-mile radius. He knows his birthday is in 2 days time, but he has to go and challenge the world to another pokemon battle. God knows he hasn't had enough over the last few days.*   
Misty shook her head as she watched Ash lined up in a grassy clearing, facing a hiker opposite him. *I mean, it'll take us a little time to set up his birthday surprise once we finally do reach the next town, and I know Brock has been looking forward to cooking him his favourite cake, and I..I've been looking forward to it as well, of course.*   
"ASH!!!! What are you doing?"   
Misty jumped 20 feet into the air as Brocks' yell tore her out of her silent reverie, in time to see an arcanine appear from the pokeball which the hiker had unleashed standing opposite - Chikorita?! Brock shook his head as he stood alongside Misty.   
"Ash, you're getting overconfident. Why use an unevolved grass-type against a powerful fire type?" Brock called from the sidelines as Misty blinked in disbelief. The tall, burly man opposite Ash smiled as Brock spoke.   
"Yeah, I think you'd better listen to your friends, else you might find my Arcanine to hot to handle."   
Ash glared coolly back, and turned his cap around into his customary battle style.   
"Don't worry Brock, I know what I'm doing." He replied to his friend. *Besides* he added to himself, *there's no way I'm losing to someone who uses a joke so bad as that old "too hot to handle" line.* He smiled slightly, and waited for his opposition to make his move.   
"Arcanine, flame thrower!" Came the call.   
*Predictable* thought ash to himself. "Okay, Chikorita, dodge the attack!"   
"Chi-ko!" Chikorita shouted, and neatly side-stepped the attack. As arcanine tried again and again, Chikorita just continued skipping the attacks. Arcanine began to get tired, and started losing its aim. Okay, Chikorita, side-step and use your bind whip!   
"Chi-ko!" Chikorita moved easily away from another wayward flamethrower from arcanine, and let loose her bind whip. She lassoed Arcanines' front legs, and pulled them from under it, crashing it to the floor.   
"Razor leaf!"   
"Chi-ko!" the leaves struck true, and Arcanine was knocked sideways, with a howl of pain.   
"Quick, Arcanine, fire blast!" the now white-faced hiker called in panic. Arcanine got shakily to its feet, and let loose a fire blast out of sheer desperation. Ash smiled, knowing the game was up.   
"Okay Chikorita, avoid the blast, and use your bind whip to finish it!"   
"Chiiiii-kooooo!!" Chikoritas' bind whip scooped up the Arcanine around the body, lifted it up, and drove it into the ground again. Arcanine yowled in pain once again, tried to get to its feet, but then slumped back down to the floor in defeat.   
"Arcanine, return." The hiker called, and re-called the injured pokemon into its pokeball. Turning, he nodded to ash. "Well done kid, good battle." Ash walked over to shake his hand.   
"Never seen a grass-type give my Arcanine such a beating before, guess I'd better go and train harder eh?"   
He slapped Ash on the back, and walked off into the woods.   
"Great going Ash." Said Brock, walking over to meet him.   
"Yeah! Great!" Misty shouted in delight.   
Ash coloured slightly, taken aback by Mistys' complement. Normally, he would've expected some sort of tongue-lashing or throwaway comment, but the emotion in her reply bore no trace of her normal acidic tones which she normally carried while being sarcastic, which, lets face it, Ash thought, she normally is while talking to me. Misty noticed his silence, put 2 and 2 together, and blushed slightly as she realised her slip. In reflex she decided to try and distract him with a little leg-pulling.   
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"   
"Uh-"   
Ash, about to answer, was distracted by a tugging on his trousers from somewhere near his foot. He looked down, to see Chikorita playfully tugging his leg, and looking up at him.   
"Yeah, and you did great too, Chikorita." He added, as he smiled down at his pokemon, who smiled back at him.   
"But, don't you think you're being a little brash by doing that, Ash?" Misty asked.   
"Doing what?" Ash replied.   
"Well, sending Chikorita out against a fire type for no real reason?" Misty pointed out to him. Brock, who had been watching the scene with interest, nodded to himself. This was the way it always went with these two. One moment friends, one moment fighting, one moment sulking, one moment pals again. Pikachu, who had been nibbling on an apple also picked up the tones, and started to watch with interest. After all, there's only so long you can look at a tree for entertainment.   
"Well, it'll help Chikorita to get strong against them." Ash said, colouring a little again, but out of anger not embarrassment.   
"Why not use a pokemon strong against fire? Or one with an even footing? It seems a little risky, Ash."   
"Because one day, there may not be a choice."   
"It still seems stupid, Chikorita may have been badly hurt!" Misty struck back, almost instinctively.   
"I wouldn't let that happen!" Ash growled back, fully aware that this exchange could rapidly become a full-blown war, but finding it hard to stop himself. Brock suddenly realised that, for the first time he could remember, he could feel cold anger radiating from the pair, like a chilled wind. Concerned, he jumped in between the pair, and yelled   
"Okay you two, break it up!"   
"It's none of your business Brock! I'll stop fighting when he admits he's a danger! To his pokemon, and to us!" Misty screamed at Ash, eyes blazing.   
"I'd never put anyone in danger! I won't let it happen!" Inwardly, Ash buckled at the suggestion that he would kill ANYONE to become a pokemon master. A pokemon, a friend, a rival, anyone. Did Misty really think he was that selfish, or greedy?   
"How? By taking on the enemy yourself!" Misty yelled at him, feeling her face flush with furious pleasure at seeing her opponent's expression falter.   
"Chi-KO!" Chikorita shouted across at Misty, glaring at her for insulting her trainer, accompanied by a loud "PIKA!" from Pikachu who was about to shock them both, if necessary, to prevent any more pain to either of them.   
"If it came to it... yes!!" Ash glared at her, as he pulled his cap peak back around to its normal position, as if to seek its protection from the watching world. Seeing this gesture of weakness, Pikachu stopped sparking up and Brock sighed in relief. But as he stepped in to try and stop the fight, Misty, half upset at her cruelty yet inflated by her victory, stopped it for him.   
"Ha! I don't believe a word of it! You only want the glory for yourself! You don't care how you get it, or what you hurt to achieve it! You're just selfish, Ash Ketchum! Selfish and arrogant! Why should you care about your pokemon? To you they are just tools, tools of the trade to be used as you please. To be disposed of when they grow old or are damaged, just so you can win a pitiful badge!" As soon as she'd let the words pass her lips, she wished that she could blow them away, like smoke rings, or swallow them so they died unsaid in her throat. But, as she looked across at Ash, her burning wall of anger vanished, to be left by a sea of regret. Ash's head drooped, his face hidden behind the peak of his cap, and as she watched him, a teardrop fell down onto Chikoritas' head, making her look up in surprise.   
"M-maybe y-you're right , M-misty." Ash sniffed. Misty blanched with shock. *I can't believe it. I've hurt him. Oh, Ash!* She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound would come.   
"CHI-KOOO!!!" Chikorita screamed, and glared at Misty. They locked eyes momentarily, and Misty blanched with shock. The expression on Chikoritas' face was that of pure anger, anger at her. At her for screaming at Ash, at her for making her trainer and friend break down due to all of the cruel things she'd said. Pikachu shook her head, and with a twitch of ears went over to comfort ash.   
Eventually, Misty turned away from the scene in front of her turned away and looked at Brock, who was standing to her right, shaking his head.   
"Brock?" She whispered, almost too choked with sadness and guilt to speak.   
"C'mon Misty, lets set up camp for the night. He'll join us when he's ready." Brock murmured softly, and he put an arm around her shoulder and guided her away from the clearing to where they were going to stay the night.   
  
The setting sun cast a final glance into the clearing before sliding below the trees, leaving the final hues of orange and red to drain away into darkness. Ash sat exactly where he had stood merely an hour before, an hour which had taken days, weeks to pass. Finally, he spoke to Pikachu, who was sat on his knee, keeping him company.   
"Pikachu, why do you stay with me?"   
Pikachu was silent for a moment. Chikorita, who was sat in his lap, looked up at him in astonishment, astonishment that Ash would ever ask such a question.   
("Ash! You don't need to ask that! Look how long we've been together!") Came the response. Ash shook his head slowly, however.   
"But you heard Misty earlier, and she told me the truth. I'm a failure, and, worst of all, I've been using you to get my own fame. All of you. You, everyone here, charizard, butterfree, squirtle. Just using you." Ash's voice broke with emotion as he remembered Mistys' tirade.   
("That's not true!") Pikachu shouted back at him, trying to elevate Ash's despair which hung around him, a dense mist blocking out everything that was near or far, past or present.   
"W-why did Misty say it then? Does she despise me? Does she want me to stop all I've trained for?"   
(No! She just lost her temper, that's all!)   
"But why did she have to say such things?"   
(She was scared!) Pikachu half-shouted at Ash.   
"O-of what?" Ash asked, completely confused.   
(That you would notice that she let something slip!)   
Ash thought back. He beat Chikorita, and then.;..   
(It was just reflex. She got scared you might think she isn't just following you for a new bike.)   
"But why should she be scared?"   
(Think for a minute.)   
"....So, Misty.... likes me?" Ash stared across the clearing, seeing nothing, feeling as if he'd received a thundershock.   
"Chi-ko-Chi??" (Misty..likes...Ash?) Chikorita repeated in shock. Momentarily, she glared. *If she likes Ash, then I've gotta stop this. She can't hurt my Ash and then expect to fall into his arms.* Meanwhile, Pikachu spoke to Ash in a quieter voice.   
(Didn't you get this from the start? It's not only words that say how someone is feeling, Ash.)   
"Well, well what am I gonna do?"   
(I'd sleep on it.)   
The smell of cooking wafted across the scene, carried by a gentle breeze.   
"Smells like I oughta be getting back, or Brock'll start to worry." Ash nodded to Pikachu, and turned to Chikorita. "C'mon Chikorita, back in your pokeball now for the night." He pulled it from his belt and aimed it at her, but she dodged and backed away.   
"Cki-KO" she said defiantly, shaking her head. Even though he couldn't understand Chikorita very well, Ash could see a definite "No". Perplexed, he shrugged his shoulders. He was too tired to argue tonight, and besides, by the look in Chikorita's eyes, he could tell he might as well argue with a stone wall. She was going to have none of it. Ash sighed, and got slowly to his feet. C'mon Pikachu, Chikorita, let's go and get some sleep. He trudged back to the camp, Chikorita and Pikachu at his feet.   
  
At the camp, Brock, who was cooking up a soup, kept an eye on Misty. She'd been silent since the argument with Ash, and just sat, slumped against a tree trunk, staring into infinity. Togapei, who seemed worried that her mother wouldn't even acknowledge her presence, had wandered over to where Brock was, and had started watching him with a worried expression.   
"Brock?"   
Brock jumped, startled by the sudden voice, which permeated the quiet and rustling of the trees, spun around to see Misty gazing into the fire.   
"D'you think I've hurt him?" She asked in a distant tone of voice. Brock frowned at Misty's question, thinking slowly about his answer. Finally, he nodded and replied   
"You've had plenty of fights in the past, so I think he'll be okay."   
"But, he seemed so, so, so devastated." Misty murmured, her eyes tearful.   
"Hmmmmmmm." Brock had to admit she was right. Normally, although the two of them often fought, it had never happened before that one had so badly hurt the other. He even suspected that this was a body blow Ash would need time to recover from. After a moments pause, he turned to Misty, and said in a comforting voice "You know, I think Ash will have trouble with this for a while. You insulted some of the very things he holds dear to himself." (And he was hurt by the thing dearest to him of all) he added mentally, turning back to the food. For a moment they were both silent, contemplating the thoughts neither of them dared to share.   
"D-do you think he'll forgive me?" Again, Brock stirred the soup, considering his answer.   
"It'll take time. But its best if you let him be tonight, before you take it up with him." As Brock bent down to his bag, Misty stifled a sob. *Why did you have to do that? You idiot!* She screamed silently to herself. *Why go off at the deep end? You know that Ash did nothing wrong. You started the fight, yet you had to finish it!* Misty buried her head in her arms, desperate to end her self reproach. Brock heard her move, went to turn, but thought better of it. *Better to let her get over this herself. Besides, She's got more than her argument to think about. The little moment when their eyes met. This could get interesting. Mind you, since I met them, I've been waiting for this to happen. This could get REALLY interesting.*   
*You know why you reacted. You saw him look at you. You got nervous. Face it, you've just broken up Ash because you like him.* Misty's conscience nibbled at her incessantly. Eventually, she shouted under her breath "That's a lie." She could feel her mind laughing at her. *You're a liar, Misty Waterflower.* Misty hit the earth with her fist. "Shut up Misty Waterflower!"   
  
Ash sat away from the fire, staring into his bowl. Eventually, he dipped in his spoon and took a tentative sip. The warm, sweet taste of his soup spread over him, as if a ray of sunshine had speared out of the darkness and shone on him, just for a fleeting moment. He nodded to himself, and continued eating. Brock looked over and smiled. He turned back to Misty, and murmured "He's eating now." Misty remained expressionless, but a glint of relief passed into her eyes nonetheless. She risked a brief glance in his direction, but turned away when she saw Chikorita watching her silently. She'd been watching Misty virtually continually since Ash had got back, and still sat by his side like a sentry, only looking away to look up at Ash. Pikachu, who was slightly more of a realist, ate by the fire opposite Misty, alongside Brock, with the view that she could build no bridges that night, so she may as well enjoy her supper. She only moved away from the fire to give Ash and Chikorita food. *I'm gonna have to talk to Brock about this too.* She thought. *Also, there could be another problem in the making.* Glancing across at Ash, she saw Chikorita still standing to attention. Shaking her head, she turned to look across at Misty. Although she was still seething at Misty's comments, Pikachu still felt a pang of pity for her. Misty looked as if she'd been awake for weeks. Beneath her tired blue eyes were dark shadows, her face looked grimy as if someone had been wiping it with dusty hands, and her clothes looked dishevelled and creased. Pikachu, who had a good idea of Misty's level of feeling for Ash, still felt shocked by the effect Misty's regret was having on her. *Perhaps she's realised how much she feels - maybe more than she ever knew*. A rustling from Ash's direction signified that he was crawling into his sleeping bag. Pikachu twitched her ears again, and ran over to his sleeping bag, and nudged him with her nose.   
"Oh, it's you Pikachu. C'mon into the sleeping bag and get some rest." Ash made room, and crawled into the gap. Ash stroked Pikachu as he lay still, feigning sleep. Behind him, someone got up and unrolled a sleeping bag on the other side of the clearing. There was a rustling, and a sigh. Misty's voice. The events of the day seemed to suddenly build up and crash like a tsunami into him, swirling him around, working his emotions into a seething mass. Choking back tears, he vowed to stay silent. *If I break, Misty might think she's right, or she's won. I'm not gonna give her the satisfaction. *Unbeknownst to Ash, the night breeze carried the drowned sob across to the ears of Misty, who started praying. *Don't cry, Ash. Please. I don't know if I could bear the sound*. She squeezed her eyelids together tightly, and prayed for sleep to take her quickly, to take her away from a world of confusion.   
  
Brock sat by the fire, watching the dying embers glowing bright in the darkness. Ash had finally dropped off, while Misty fell silent almost instantly. There was a lot to think about. *Funny really.* he mused. *They say I'm the one who goes to pieces every love comes near me, and now look what's going on with those two. But this is serious now. There is so much pride involved in this that I can't see either of them giving up or apologising.* Pikachu, who had listened to Ash fall asleep, heard Brock moving, and took her chance. She sneaked out of the sleeping bag, and almost ran into Chikorita.   
"Chi-ko?" (What you doing?) Chikorita asked her softly, with more than a trace of suspicion. Not surprising given the history between them. Pikachu softly replied:   
"Going to talk to Brock. Just wait here and watch Ash." Chikorita looked at Pikachu for a moment, but then nodded. Pikachu ran over to Brock, and nudged him in the side. However, being prodded suddenly in the dead of night has the same effect as the application of a red-hot poker to the backside, and Brock flew into the air and performed a piece of incredible gymnastics which could have easily scored a 9.95, maybe 10.0 in the Olympics. As he opened his mouth to yell, Pikachu jumped up and held his lips together, and performed a small flash which lit herself up for long enough for Brock to recognise her. Brock sunk to the floor in relief, and gathered his breath.   
"You could have said something." he murmured to Pikachu, who shrugged.   
("I want to talk for a minute")   
"Yeah?"   
("You do know why Ash has taken this so hard, yes?")   
"Well, yeah. It's been obvious for a while. But the problem is, they're both too stubborn to admit anything."   
("I think they're gonna need our help.")   
"Probably." Brock looked into the ashes for a minute, as the last of the red glow died silently. "But the biggest problem is that it's their problem, and they're going to have to sort it out themselves. I can't hold them together and force them to make up, nor can you."   
("But, I can't stand to see them so sad. Especially Ash, he's always been my greatest friend, but now he believes that he has just been using me.")   
"You know that's not true, and so does he." Brock reassured Pikachu.   
("But does he?") Pikachu moaned quietly, as a tear ran down her cheek. ("I don't know if I can live with either of them, if Ash truly believes that.")   
Brock tickled Pikachu between the ears and reassured her quietly   
"You have to trust Ash. Show him that it isn't true. You can do it. Look, Chikorita is showing him already." Sounds from the darkness indicated Chikorita was pulling the sleeping bag more securely around Ash's shoulders.   
("Oh, yeah. That way the other thing. Chikorita is worrying me. I know she is possessive towards Ash, I mean, I had a run in with her not long ago, but this seems different. She seems determined to keep Misty away from Ash. While we were talking in the forest, I helped him to see Misty's uncertainties around him. Chikorita seemed to find it - threatening.") Brock nodded.   
"I see that this could be a problem." He stretched and yawned. "But it's nearly midnight, so I think it's gonna have to wait until tomorrow." He nodded to Pikachu and got into his sleeping bag. "Keep a close eye on them okay?"   
("You got it.")   
"G'night Pikachu."   
("Sleep well.")   
Ash, facing the forest, opened his eyes, and momentarily stared at the ground. *Chikorita - jealous? Of Misty? And Pikachu felt so strongly about this too?* Feeling wide awake, he heard Pikachu scamper over and feigned sleep. Once Pikachu got back inside the sleeping bag, his eyes slammed open again, and looked this time at the stars. *This is gonna be a long night for me…..* 


	2. The morning after

Okay, I'd just like to say that I am no expert as far as pokemon moves go. I like the animation, and have played the games a little, but I'm no expert. So, if any of the moves I use are incorrect, just take them at face value please! So, here's the next bit. Thanks a lot to all of those who reviewed my story! Some of them made my day!  
  
Okay, on with the story.  
  
Ash stared at the night sky, deep in thought. He felt as if he had been laying there for a month, a year, just staring skywards, eyes flicking between the stars and the moon, killing time, until.. What? *What am I waiting for? Morning? Will morning bring back the past? I have nothing to look forward to without doubt, nothing to look back on without disdain. Do I have a future? What is left for me now? How do I change my life, if it has been just a sham for so many years?* Ash's mind span endlessly, trying to fathom the unfathomable. Until barely hours ago, had aims in life, a goal to focus on, a glittering prize to pursue. Now? Nothing. Years of life vanished into a haze, achievements tainted, desire broken, dreams gutted, left hollow and burned. All due to one person. The one who slept but yards away. Ash twisted to look across at the sleeping Misty, for the first time since the vicious argument had taken place. *I long to feel angry, but I just can't. Why? I should be ready to tear her apart, to want to give the pain to her which I bear. But I can't. Why?* Ash gazed upon the silent, sleeping body for a few moments. *And why have I let her destroy my dreams with a few words, while to others I wouldn't listen or even laugh at their insults?* Just then Misty turned over, and Ash gasped silently. Her dirty, tear-stained face and dark complexion, what had happened to her? Ash was suddenly unable to look any longer, feeling himself being taken over by a plague of sadness and guilt. *Guilt? Why do I feel guilty? Isn't the guilt hers?* Suddenly, a thought sprang into clear focus. *Why is it her fault. You were the one who risked your pokemons health for just your own satisfaction. Face it, she's right.* Turning away, he came face to face with Chikorita, who sat inches away with a look of deep concern in her eyes.  
  
"Chi-ko" She breathed, and looked at Ash quizzically. Ash smiled.  
  
"At least I've got you, Chikorita. You don't think I use you, do you?" A hint of a pleading tone entered his voice as he finished the sentence, but his concerns instantly evaporated as Chikorita moved over to nuzzle his cheek. Glowing, Ash reached out to her, and hugged her gently. "At least you love me, unlike her..."  
  
The thought slapped Ash like Misty's hand on his cheek, which began to glow as if he'd received one. *Did I just say that?* Ash looked down at Chikorita, who, to his relief, hadn't picked up on the open desire expressed in the statement. *Do I want her to..I don't know. No, of course not! She's been making my life hell! Following me for a bike, taunting me, blaming me for anything and everything wrong in the world. Besides, she's scrawny! A scrawny witch who has nothing better to do than try and cast a spell on me.* Even as these thoughts passed however, Ash's mind supplied him with the answer. *Of course you do. You've been flirting with her and you love her. Go on, admit it.* Ash turned over once again, startling Chikorita, and whispered through the darkness "I do. I love you, Misty." Choked by emotion once again, he turned back to Chikorita, who looked shocked to see a tear shine in the moonlight in her master's eye.  
  
"Chi..?" Ash sighed quietly, and shook his head.  
  
"No, I'll be fine thanks Chikorita. I just want to sleep now."  
  
"Chi." As silence descended once again, Ash smelt a strange smell around him. With eyes becoming increasingly heavy, he saw Chikorita giving off a small amount of mist. He smiled, and reached out to stroke her cheek.  
  
"Thanks, Chikorita. I'm really grateful." Slowly, Ash drifted off. Chikorita nodded in satisfaction, and went back to her post as sentry. For just a second, she glanced in Misty's direction through the gloom. *He looked at her, and then the tears came again. I won't let her anywhere near Ash, she'll just make him break down.* Turning to face Ash again, Chikorita licked his face gently, and tasted the salty liquid upon it. Her determination redoubled, and she sat down to wait out the night.  
  
Light slowly descended on the forest, first glowing orange-red, and then yellow as the dawn of a new day began. The forest woke up, stretched and began its day. A pidgey coo-ed slowly and the distant call of a spearow could be heard. Brock opened his eyes, and yawned. Crawling out of his sleeping bag and getting to his feet, he pulled his top on and glanced around the clearing. He noted with satisfaction that Ash and Misty both still slept, Ash snoring gently. Then, his eyes travelled to Ash's side, and to Chikorita. Brock nodded to himself, impressed. Chikorita, although looking tired, guarded Ash all night with fierce pride, and still seemed alert. He strolled over, and bent down in front of her. Chikorita regarded him with a friendly look and a smile.  
  
"Hey, do you want some breakfast? You know that you could do with some of my top treats after a night up." He murmured to her, and she nodded enthusiastically. "O.K, you just wait right here, I'll be back soon." He picked up the soup bowl, and went over to his rucksack. *Looks like Ash has got an admirer.* He said to himself. Picking out the food he was looking for, he paced back over to Chikorita, who licked her lips in anticipation as Brock mixed the food and tipped it into the bowl. "Here you go, and enjoy." He finished with a smile, as Chikorita skipped forward to the bowl and started eating. *Whew. Ash sure has picked one fiery, determined pair of ladies to hang around with. Looks like this will get interesting all right.* Picking up Ash's bag, he set about trying to find Cindaquil.  
  
"Totodile, no..Bulbasaur no..Ah!" He picked up a ball and threw it out, to release Cindaquil. "Cindaqil, could you light the fire for me?" In response, Cindaquil's flame lit, and Brock held a few twigs over it until they lit. "Thanks!"  
  
"Cynda-quiiil." Brock re-called Cyndaquil into its pokeball, and put the burning twigs into the small pile of wood to start a fire. *I sure am glad that I didn't have to ask Charizard to light the fire.* He chuckled and shook his head at the thought. *It took Ash years to even get him to listen, so I probably would've ended up charred myself.* A groan from his left signified that Misty must be waking up. Strolling over, he crouched by her as her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Morning Misty."  
  
"Ooooh.I feel like I've been sat on by a snorlax." Misty clutched her head, and squeezed her eyelids shut.  
  
"Probably all that energy you used yesterday...I'll get you some painkillers." Misty groaned again. *Great. I wake up praying that yesterday would be forgotten, and Brock goes and smashes that to bits within half a minute of waking up. He's subtle, isn't he?* Pushing herself up, Misty crawled over to the fire, which now had a pan on it. Something is sizzling. She sniffed the air. *Mmmmm, something good.* Brock knelt down, holding out a glass of water and a tablet.  
  
"Here, this'll help you out." Misty took the glass, put the tablets in her mouth, and downed the water in one. Feeling refreshed, she got to her feet, and arched her back. Relaxing slightly, she turned to look over at Ash, but instead locked eyes with Chikorita. She was staring at her with an intent, no, irritated look in her eyes. Misty felt Brock touch her arm. Turning away, she looked at Brock.  
  
"I'd watch out for her today. She's been up like that all night, staring around. And, in particular, watching you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I think that she took your argument yesterday to heart, like Ash. She's trying to prove to him that what you said isn't true."  
  
"..."  
  
"Also, I think that.." Brock stopped himself dead before he could spill the beans. Misty peered at him in confusion.  
  
"Think what?"  
  
"Err, nothing."  
  
"Brock!"  
  
"I can't say. This isn't the time or the place." This was also the wrong thing to say. Instantly, there was a fire in Misty's eye.  
  
"Brock, you're coming with me on a little walk. And don't argue, because I know how to turn your world into unique world of agony if you don't. Starting with this." She withdrew the mallet, anime style, and cocked an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Uh, sure Misty! I'd love to go for a walk!" Brock jumped to attention. *Not the mallet, please, not the mallet!* Misty strode off into the undergrowth, followed meekly by Brock. Just as she left, she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see Chikorita still watching her. *Okay, this needs answers.* She averted her gaze, and walked into the wood.  
  
"Oh-kay. This is pretty much all I know Misty." Brock gathered breath, knowing that he had no choice but to tell the truth, and all of it. He was not a good liar, and Misty had known him for so long that so much as a flicker of doubt in his voice and she would pounce on it. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to assemble his thoughts in the right order. Misty, opposite him, sat on a log and paid close attention, casually tapping her mallet against her leg in a gentle reminder to Brock as to its destination if he tried to deceive her. Noting Brock's eyes flicking to it, she knew he remembered her promise. "Kneecaps first, then where you REALLY don't want it." Brock took a deep breath, and started explaining.  
  
"When you and Ash had your..." (Brock's eye's flicked for a moment to the mallet again) "disagreement, he sat in the clearing where he had battled for a while. He talked with Pikachu, and Pikachu told me that Ash believed that he'd been using her and everyone else. Pikachu was really upset to see Ash in that state, and was especially upset to have Ash question why she travels with him. Pikachu thinks that Ash might truly believe that he's been using her, and beat himself up for it. She thinks she can't live around you or Ash if he feels that way." Brock paused, and glanced up. Misty looked back at him, her expression steady. "C'mon Brock, I want the whole story."  
  
"Well, after we'd discussed that, she told me Chikorita had been acting oddly since the fight. That she seemed, well, possessive of Ash. And she's especially protective of him against you." Again, Brock looked up. Misty, her mallet hanging loosely in her hand, was now looking blankly at the sky. After a few moments, she noticed the silence, and re-focused. Biting her lip, she said to Brock in a quavering tone  
  
"Brock, I want to know it all."  
  
"Chikorita sees you as a threat. A threat to her, as well as Ash." Brock silently prayed Misty wouldn't ask the inevitable question. Prayers which went unanswered.  
  
"A threat? Why?" Misty felt perplexed. She was obviously not a physical threat, so what could the reason be?  
  
"Well, Ash, erm..you know how Chikorita feels more than protective than Ash, she doesn't like anyone sharing him.."  
  
"...Yes."  
  
"And that she wants him to love her above anyone else?"  
  
"Yes?" Brock steeled himself, and looked Misty straight in the eyes.  
  
"She's afraid you will take Ash's love. She knows he feels for you more than he lets on, and she resents it. Especially after the battering he took yesterday." Misty's eyes widened in shock. *So, Ash does have feelings for me. All this time I hoped it to be the truth, but just when I find out I have to go and smash the chance in a fit of anger! God damn it!* Brock watched silently, as Misty's head drooped. After a few minutes passed, he got up and walked over to her.  
  
"Misty..." Misty looked up at him, and momentarily broke down. Brock gently pulled her to her feet and gave her a brief squeeze. "You think you'll be okay?" Misty wiped her eyes, sniffed, and then nodded. "C'mon, I've got to finish up breakfast." Together they crept through back to the campsite.  
  
Before they entered the clearing, Brock stopped Misty with his arm. Peering through the trees, he saw a figure sat near the fire, accompanied by 2 diminutive figures. "Misty, Ash is awake." He whispered to her. Misty exhaled deeply, and squared her shoulders before nodding back at him.  
  
"Lets go."  
  
They pushed their way past the final branches, and stepped out. Ash looked up, and nodded at them.  
  
"Mornin' Brock, Misty." He smiled at them, but his eyes remained cool. Brock walked over to the pot on the stove, and stirred it in silence. Misty walked over, and sat down cautiously around a quarter of the way round from Ash. An age passed in silence. Brock broke it by turning to Ash.  
  
"Got any plans today?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"I just think getting to the next city so we can sleep in proper rooms for once." Ash replied. Misty picked up on the "rooms" however. When they did get to a hotel they always shared a room because it saved money and was, well, more fun. Was Ash just hinting that he wanted a proper bed, or suggesting he didn't want to sleep in the same place as her? Deciding that this wasn't the best time to enquire, she struggled for something to talk about to break the silence. A thought snapped into her head, and before she'd stopped to consider it, she had already asked "Planning to get a new badge there Ash?". Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brock stare at her in disbelief, and the implications of her words finally hit her. *Great job Mist, nice to see you've started thinking before you open your mouth.* she kicked herself, but then waited with bated breath to see Ash's response. He looked down for a minute before answering.  
  
"No."  
  
"Chi-ko! Chi-ko-chi!" Chikorita cried at Ash.  
  
("She says she wants to fight for you ASH.") Pikachu translated.  
  
"No, it's not right. I make you train and endure the pain of battle, just for a few of these." He opened the side of his jacket, revealing his large collection of badges. "A few badges. You're worth more than that."  
  
"Chi! Chi-ko!Chi-chi-ko!"  
  
("She says that they're ours. That you helped us to achieve as a team what we never could alone.") Pikachu looked at Ash, her dark eyes piercing him. ("I want to fight with you too, always.") Ash blushed, and bent down to Chikorita and Pikachu.  
  
"Thanks you two. But I need to think about this." At that, he turned and began packing up his equipment. Pikachu nodded, a little more cheerfully, and moved over to give him a hand. But Chikorita, who had been watching Ash for the rest of the exchange, turned and ran over to Misty.  
  
"CHI-KO!" She screamed, and glared at her, trembling with fury. Misty knew Chikorita had never hurt anyone before, but the way she was glaring at her scared her. She moved away to near Brock, and Chikorita's eyes followed her as she made a growling noise deep in her throat. Brock noticed Misty's fearful stance, and glanced past her. Her gasped as he saw Chikorita's expression. He called across the clearing.  
  
"Errr, Ash! Could you come here for a second?" Ash sauntered over, and Chikorita broke her glare to run over to him. Rubbing against his legs, she shot a look over to Misty, almost as if to say "He's MINE!"  
  
"Well, at least that worked." Brock breathed out in relief. The way things had looked, Misty would have been ducking razor leaves in about two seconds time, but Chikorita was distracted. At least for now. Brock gestured to Ash to help him pack up his stuff into a bag as Misty wandered off to wake togapei and give him some breakfast. Ash squatted down, and Brock felt another warm breeze of relief as he saw his expression, which was slightly cheerful and with an overtone of determination. That was the Ash he knew, alright. Or was it? Dropping his voice low, he asked "You okay Ash?"  
  
"Yeah." The response was offhand, suggesting Brock drop it, but Brock was made of sterner stuff. He swivelled slightly to get a better look into Ash's face, and took the plunge.  
  
"Do you still hate Misty?"  
  
"....I never have." A dull monotone. *Well, I'm not buying it.* Brock thought.  
  
"But after yesterday, you wouldn't even talk to her."  
  
"I.I guess I was kinda annoyed, but I've been thinking about it, and realise she.."  
  
"She what?"  
  
"She told me what I've known all along. I've been using everyone for my own gains, just for a bit of pride." Ash's face fell, his façade of cheer crumpling like a paper bag.  
  
"C'mon, she knows she was just blowing off. So do I, and your pokemon, and deep down, so do you."  
  
"....."  
  
"You gotta get back to reality. Keep doing what you were born to do. And try to forgive Misty. She's beating herself up over this as much as you are." Ash just nodded in reply, and moved to pack up the cooking utensils. "Oh, and don't forget you can come to talk to me anytime if you need to. That's what I'm here for. That and to be god's gift to women!" Ash turned away with barely a word. *Even that didn't make him react. Ah well, it'll get better, just keep reminding yourself and them that.* With that, he finished clearing up, and got ready to leave.  
  
"You got us lost AGAIN!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did too!" Brock nodded to himself. This was how it was supposed to go. Half an hour on the road, and they were going at it, as usual.  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Ash Ketchum, you KNOW you did, so don't deny it! Useless!"  
  
"...."  
  
Now that wasn't how it was supposed to go. As was supposed to defend himself to the hilt, or come back with a counter-insult, or call her scrawny, or something. Not silence. Glancing out of the corner of his eye to Ash, Brock noticed his vacant expression. He'd believed her again. *Geez man, you got it bad.* Looking to the other side, he saw Misty caught in a mix of feelings. Victory and pride at making him back down, mixed with puzzlement, concern and more than a little anger. Angry at him for wilting, but more anger at herself for arguing again, and making the same mistake. As I had wondered many times through the passing seasons of our travels, I wondered again if this was Misty's way of flirting with Ash. *She seems to do it to get him to pay attention to her. Perhaps she argues with him to get him to notice her without it being obvious she is doing so.* Again an uneasy silence descended across the group. Brock smiled to himself. *Okay, it's time for a little mischief!*.  
  
"So, uh, Ash..nice day isn't it?" Brock turned his head slightly and smiled sweetly at him as they walked.  
  
"Yeah.."  
  
"Nights are drawing in though."  
  
"Yeah.." Again the non-committal response. Brock smiled, knowing that the next thing he said would bring a more lively reaction. Opening his wallet, he looked into it and sighed.  
  
"Looking at our money Ash, next time we get to a city, we only got enough for a 2-bed room - I call the free bed!" Ash stopped dead in his tracks, looking as if he had just been shocked by Pikachu. Simultaneously, Misty's head snapped up like it was spring loaded.  
  
"Share a bed with HIM/HER?!" A flock of Pidgey erupted from the undergrowth, startled by the noise.  
  
"We-el, you know the rules guys. I'm afraid you two are gonna have to get used to the idea." Brock grinned and put his hands behind his head, and looked up at the sky. *That should get them to start talking, at least.*  
  
"Why should you get the bet to yourself? I'm the only girl here, so I should claim it!" Misty seethed.  
  
"I'm the youngest, so I get the right to choose first!" Ash responded in turn. Brock dropped his arms, and looked at the two of them.  
  
"Need I remind you that I'm the biggest here, so I need the space? Oh, and if one of you gets the bed on your own, the other one is gonna have me dreaming about Jenny and Joy in the same bed.."  
  
Silence, as Misty and Ash slowly digested this fact. Not appealing. Ohhhh, definitely not appealing. Brock smiled again as he watched Ash and Misty's expressions turn from perplexed slowly through to disgust. With perfect choreography, they both turned to each other and screamed  
  
"I don't mind, as long as it's HIM/HER!" They both broke off, glaring daggers at each other. But, again, Ash backed down.  
  
"Okay, okay. Is there any way that we can get an extra room Brock?" Ash looked at Brock with a pleading expression.  
  
"Well, you have quite a bit of money tucked away.." Brock began, but stopped short upon seeing Ash's wild gesture. Ash moved closer to him, and dropped his voice to a whisper.  
  
"You know what that money is for, and why I can't use it." Glancing around at Misty briefly, he continued. "Brock, I can't give up the money. I've saved for too long, and I'm getting close to affording a bike..."  
  
Misty, confused by the sudden change in tone, watched suspiciously as Ash whispered to Brock. Annoyed at being excluded, she strained to make out what they were saying, and only made out the last word - bike. Ash turned to face her, but looked instead at the floor.  
  
"Mist, you have the bed. I'll sleep on the floor, or find somewhere else." With that, he turned back to the way they were travelling, and started to walk. *Money tucked away? Bike? Why won't Ash buy a bigger room? And why is he letting me have the bed? Face it, you wouldn't mind if you had to share with Ash* Misty's mind murmured. "No, he's just trying to make me feel guilty." Misty whispered angrily to herself, knowing how futile arguing with her own mind was, but determined to deny it anyway. Just then, the words clicked. *He's still saving up for my bike?!* Misty allowed a fraction of a smile to pass her lips. *Maybe there's still a chance he can rescue his confidence, but I gotta help him. I owe him this much..* Slowly, an idea began to hatch. Misty smiled again, and started to plan for the next city..  
  
Okay, I know I left this a little open ended, but I think it's about time I got this part up for everyone who is waiting with baited breath. (Yeah, like anyone is actually interested, maybe I'm delusional!) Please please please R&R! I need to know if I'm doing this well or not. Any tips/comments/flames, send them all! 


	3. Master-plans and Minibars.

Thanks very much to everyone who reviewed my fic. They are all greatly appreciated, and they really made writing this all the more worth it! Thanks again, and here's the third part of the tale. Hope you enjoy!  
  
"Thank god for bus stops."  
  
"Yeah, maybe I didn't get you as lost as you thought."  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"An hour ago, you said I'd got us lost. But the whole time I was getting us here!" Ash nodded proudly, holding up the map. He grinned as he prodded it, looking at Misty's look of frustration.  
  
"Ash, you're pointing at a river." Brock casually looked at the map. "A river 5 miles from here. Oh, and you're holding the map upside-down again." Misty stifled a giggle as Ash glared daggers at Brock. "Yeah, well, why doesn't someone else hold the map then?" Ash growled as he rolled the map back up.  
  
"Well, I'm carrying the cooking stuff, and Misty's got Togapei." Brock reasoned.  
  
"Well, I'm carrying Pikachu!"  
  
"Ash, I think it's more Pikachu riding you than you carrying Pikachu." At this, Pikachu giggled, and Misty let out a snort of laughter. Ash glowered at them all. Suddenly, he turned to Pikachu, eyes blazing at the laughing Pokemon on his shoulder.  
  
"If you think it's sooooo funny, why don't you walk for a change!" Pikachu stifled her laughter for just long enough to turn and face Ash before erupting into giggles again. "Right, if that's the case, you're walking!" With that, he grasped Pikachu suddenly, and put her down. Pikachu was immediately silent. Misty also stopped laughing and looked on in confusion. Ash turned to the three of them, and gave them a piercing glare. "If that's all I am to you, Pikachu, a joke and a passenger service, maybe we shouldn't be partners any more." At this, Pikachu's ears drooped, and she looked into Ash's eyes in worry. Ash then turned away. "And if all I am is a joke to you, Misty, I guess we should go our separate ways. Then you won't have to worry about me putting you in danger any more." Ash said coldly.  
  
"But Ash.."  
  
"I don't want to hear it. If you want to follow me around, fine. But I expected more from you, and from you, Brock. When I came to the crossroads after giving up training, to protect my Pokemon and you, all you have done is make me a joke, something to laugh at. I don't know what to do with my life, but maybe I should become a clown, just to make you happy." Ash finished, his stare and voice cold as steel. Suddenly, a red glow appeared from Ash's belt, and Chikorita emerged. Eyes aflame, she turned to face Misty and Pikachu.  
  
"CHI-KOOOO!" (Look what you've done to my Ash!)  
  
("We're sorry, Ash. We didn't mean to upset you.") Pikachu apologised, but saw no softening in his gaze. Brock, who had been silent throughout the rest of the exchange, stepped in.  
  
"Ash, I'm sorry. I'm the one who pointed out the mistake."  
  
"Aaah, don't worry yourself Brock. You weren't the one who laughed. Besides, you won't have to worry about my map reading any more." Ash's gaze dropped to Chikorita at his feet. He crouched down, and stroked Chikorita's head gently. There was a moment's silence before the inevitable happened.  
  
"Why couldn't we laugh? You made a silly mistake, and we found it funny."  
  
Ash straightened up, and turned to face at Misty, but again his eyes scoured the floor.  
  
"But Misty, do you know how bad it feels?" Misty, in spite of herself, bit back.  
  
"No, because I'm not an idiot!" Brock gaped at Misty. For the third time in less than 24 hours, she'd reacted blindly to an innocuous statement by Ash, without thinking of what she was saying could do. By the look on her face, she knew it too.  
  
"Well, let me tell you. Do you remember your sisters?" Misty nodded. "And do you remember they used to call you a runt?" Misty again nodded, the painful memories flooding back. "And do you remember you felt worthless, like you were good for nothing?" Misty blinked back the pain, and nodded once again. Ash paused, then looked into her eyes. "Do you still need to be told how it feels?" Misty was silent, her Aquamarine eyed boring into Ash's brown eyes, seeing them glisten with sadness. Again, Ash turned his head away, and looked down at Chikorita. Chikorita, who had listened in compassionate silence to Ash, looked him in the eyes again, to see more pain. *That's it!* She sprang forwards, and faced up to Misty, who froze in shock.  
  
"Chi-ko-chii-chiko!" ("That's enough! Don't come near him!") Slowly, Chikorita backed away to stand next to Ash, who was shaking silently, looking away from her. Brock sighed, and came up to Ash, placing a hand on his shoulder consoling him. Misty took a step towards him, but almost instantly they were stuck to the spot. Misty looked down, to see a vine whip wound around her leg. Looking up, she was astounded to see Chikorita let loose her other vine whip, which wrapped around the other one, holding her where she stood. Pikachu, who had run over to Ash, turned at Misty's squeak of surprise, and looked in confusion at Chikorita. Running over, she stopped a few feet away, and shouted at Chikorita.  
  
("What are you doing?")  
  
"Chi-ko-koo-chi-chi-ko!" (She makes my Ash unhappy. I won't let her do it again.)  
  
"Pikachu, why is she doing this?"  
  
("She thinks you'll make Ash unhappy again. Just let it be for now.")  
  
Hearing this, Ash turned around. Through his cloudy vision he could just make out Misty standing stock still, being held back by...Chikorita? *Why is Chikorita holding back Misty?* Ash shook his head.  
  
"Chikorita, let her go." Ash called, but Chikorita ignored him. "Chikorita, I said let GO!" Ash yelled, grasping Chikorita by the shoulder. Chikorita shot him a surprised, and slightly stung look, but retracted her vine whips. Misty sat down, and began to massage life back into her legs.  
  
"Chikorita, why did you do that to Misty?" Ash asked her quietly. Chikorita started talking, and Pikachu came over to translate quietly.  
  
("She says that she didn't want to see you hurt again. Everything she says hurts you, so she was stopping her from beating you any more. She wants you to know that she wouldn't hurt Misty, but just wants her to leave you alone.) Chikorita took up a watching guard again, as Pikachu ran up Ash's arm and dropped her voice. ("Ash, I think that if something else happens between you two, something more serious, Chikorita wouldn't hesitate to attack Misty if she thought you were threatened.") She paused, and leaned over to look Ash in the eyes. ("Ash, I'm really sorry if I insulted you earlier. I shouldn't have done that, you've had enough over the last day. Can we still go on together?") Ash turned his head to look at Pikachu, and gave his first true smile since the day before.  
  
"Alright, Pikachu. I'm sorry I snapped at you. Let's go on as if it never happened okay?"  
  
("Okay Ash.") *But that leaves one.* Ash looked across at Misty, who was being helped to her feet by Brock. *She hasn't apologised. She hasn't apologised for anything since the fight. How can I keep going like this if she doesn't care how I'm feeling?* An idea snapped for attention. *I can't travel if this keeps on happening. If we can't make up by the 12 midnight on the day of my birthday, it's over. I know I like her, but I need to know if she likes me too or if she just likes to jeer at my failures, and insult my pride. Let's plan how to do this..*  
  
On the bus to the next town, Ash remained silent, staring out of the window, Pikachu perched atop his hat and Chikorita in his lap. Brock and Misty sat in the chairs opposite, shifting uncomfortably. Several times Misty had tried to spark up a conversation, only to receive little from Ash and warning looks from Brock. *Okay, let's see...Challenge Ash to a battle? Nah, he'd never accept, he thinks he's using his Pokemon as it is, without a petty battle with me. How about..admiring what he's already done? No, he'd find it suspicious. A birthday party? Well, it'd be nice, but he's not in the mood, and it'd do little to get him to train again. Hmmmmm...* Misty stared blankly out of the window at the passing trees, thoughts juggling in her mind. Unbeknownst to her, Ash was plotting on the other side. *Well, I can say it straight out, but she'd think I hated her big time. I could write a letter, telling her I'm going back to Pallet to find a job. Yeah, that'll make her move if she does feel for me, and even if she doesn't care, I need to find a job anyway so it's a good place to start.* A pang of guilt followed the thought, followed by a deep feeling of loss. *I wish that I could just come out and try and make up, but whenever I talk to her she lashes out at me. And what if she rejects me? Could I take the pain?* Tears again welled up in Ash's eyes, for seemingly the hundredth time since his world fell to pieces. He shook them away, and concentrated on what he would do coming to the next city.  
  
Bright lights and crowds greeted the bus as it pulled into the main streets of Janerio City.  
  
"Wha?" Ash's eyes grew to the size of saucers at the sight of the wild parties and huge stalls lining the pavements. Turning around, he called across the bus. "What's going on here?"  
  
"It's the festival for the autumn solstice. They celebrate the solstice every year here in Janerio." Brock nodded and went back to looking at the party going on. "This place could challenge New Orleans in the party stakes. The big night is tomorrow night, which is the closing night." Looking back across at Ash, Brock saw his smile falter as Ash looked past him. Turning his head, he saw the local Pokemon gym slowly going past through the window. *Well that was bad timing.* Misty was sleeping, head leant against the window, seemingly impervious to the noise and bright lights flashing through into the bus. Gently, Brock nudged her.  
  
"No Ash...I can't...don't go...no!" Misty sat bolt upright, her red-rimmed eyes slamming open. They rapidly closed again as the light hit her. Screwing them shut, she put a hand over them to try and dim the flashes. Gradually, she opened her hand and her eyes, which fluttered in uncertainty at the scene around her. Darkness had almost fallen, but this fact was made insignificant by the hues of red, orange, blue and a thousand other shades of colour which danced around the streets, like sprites in the twilight. Rubbing sleep out of her aquamarine eyes, she looked across the bus. "How long have I been asleep? It's almost dark out."  
  
"Hours, Misty. We got here ages ago, but with the festival going on, we're hardly moving." Misty, who is not the greatest of risers, felt an unexplainable rage build in her. *They let me sleep all day? I'll never sleep tonight! Selfish, ignorant idiots!* Biting back her fury, fury not borne not only out of awaking, but of the confusion that surrounded her, the self-reproach she harboured, anger at the world, and Ash. She asked through gritted teeth:  
  
"Why did you let me sleep? You know I have trouble at night if I sleep too much during the day."  
  
"You did look completely shattered. I couldn't have kept you awake if I'd been screaming in you ear."  
  
"You could've tried!" Misty snapped irritably. Brock stared silently to the front of the bus, arms folded. *No, don't let her drag you into a fight. We're almost there. Besides, you always could...* Brock whispered to Misty "There is something I could do to help you sleep."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well, I normally only have a little to help me sleep after you've gone to bed, but I suppose it couldn't do any harm.." With that, Brock reached into his bag in the manner of a magician about to pull a rabbit from a hat. Slowly, he half drew out a large bottle, filled with brownish liquid. Misty just had time to pick out the phrase "Vol. 40%" before Brock hid it once again.  
  
"Brock, howd'you get that!?" Misty gasped.  
  
"I have a connection. A little of this in your drink before you go to bed, goodnight Irene. Don't worry, it won't do you any harm, and you'll get to sleep better." Misty nodded in silence, as they finally pulled into the station.  
  
"Not a bad little room. Nice TV, and oh! A courtesy shower cap!" Misty grinned, and made a bee-line for the shower. Ash followed, Chikorita in tow, and threw his rucksack on the bed. *Nice room, but little is the operative word.* Glancing around, he noted the 2 beds *Queen size? Not even duchess!* The TV *If only the bed was as big as that..probably only got 3 channels though.* The "Luxurious balcony" (Window box) and, most of all, the minibar (Which was locked, as all of the people staying in the room were underaged, and so the reception did not give them the key to open it.) Bending down, he murmured to Chikorita.  
  
"D'you think you could pick the lock on that, Chick?" Chikorita nodded, barely unable to conceal her delight at Ash's pet name he gave her. *The only one he's done that to before it that Misty.* she threw a disgusted look to the door of the bathroom, from which sounds of running water and muffled singing emanated, and snorted in satisfaction. *Doesn't call her Mist now, does he? My Ash doesn't need her any more...* Turning back to the task in hand, she carefully eased her leaf through the lock and moved it until she heard a click. Nodding in satisfaction, she beamed up at Ash, who beamed right back down at her. "Okay, don't mention this to Brock or Pikachu. They'll be up in a couple of minutes once they finish paying. They'll go out to the festival with Misty, and I can have a night in watching sport. Oh, and perhaps have a dry martini or two.."  
  
Water gently pummelled her skin, gently kneading the knots of stress away from her muscles. Misty sighed in pleasure, and turned around. *Okay, how's this? If I demonstrate to Ash that he should keep on training by taking on the local gym, and dedicating it to him...yes, then he'd see how much he needs to follow his dreams. Maybe he'd also see how much he means to me.* Misty nodded to herself in assent. It was as good a plan as any, and it didn't involve much complicated planning. Turning off the water, she got out of the shower, hair still in her shower cap, and threw a towel around herself. Unlocking the door, she stepped out at the same moment Brock entered the door. To her surprise, Brock instantly entered pretty-girl mode at the sight of her. Misty quailed in disgust as he grasped her by the shoulders. Pikachu sighed, and started to spark up a mini-shock. But before anyone could speak, a blur appeared from nowhere. The next thing Brock knew, he was sliding down the wall in the corridor 6 feet behind him. Then the pain hit him, and he doubled up, clutching his stomach. Through the blur of agony, he saw Misty standing completely stunned, and Ash glaring down at him, fist still raised. Ash seemed to then snap back into reality, and gaped at what he'd done. Scurrying over, he bent down to Brock.  
  
"Hell, Brock, you okay?" Brock, who felt as if he'd had a vacuum pump stuck to his lips and turned on, could only nod.  
  
"I'm so sorry! I don't know why I reacted like that! I was just standing there, and next thing I know, you're sprawled here!" Ash babbled, astonished that he'd hit someone so hard.  
  
"Last time...someone got hit like that, the.the other guy ended up holding the..heavyweight belt aloft." Brock gasped, and took the hand Ash offered to help him to his feet. Slowly, he walked past the agape Misty and Pikachu, and slid down on the bed. As Ash stood upright, Pikachu made up her mind. *Just a little shock is fair punishment. I can't have Ash beating up on Brock like that.* Shaking her head, Pikachu aimed a small thunderbolt at Ash. Just as it was about to strike, a green thing flashed out of nowhere, absorbing the shock. Pikachu looked down just in time to see Chikorita shudder as the electricity ground through her.  
  
"Chi-ko-chi-chi-chi-KO!" ("No-one is gonna hurt my Ash!")  
  
Pikachu eyed Chikorita, weighing up whether or not she was going to attack her. Eventually, Chikorita dropped her stare, and backed off to Ash's side.  
  
"Brock, Misty, why don't you go off and enjoy the festival? I've got a lot on my mind, I'm kinda tired.. Misty, who felt overjoyed that she could plan the next day with Brock in peace without Ash spoiling it, quickly tried to choke off the reaction, but failed. Ash noted a brief flicker of delight in Misty's eyes, and his heart disintegrated in the space of a heartbeat. Holding back the abyss of tears which threatened to engulf him, he nodded to Misty and Brock, and watched Misty as she grabbed some clothes and rushed off into the bathroom to change. Brock got to his feet, and nodded back to him. As Misty got back out, dressed in her characteristic clothes, she grabbed hold of her purse. Brock walked across to her, and opened the door without a word. Misty glided out, Togapei in her arms and Brock followed her, Pikachu at his feet, shutting the door quietly. Ash silently folded up in tears.  
  
"Chisniffck?hic"  
  
"Chi-ko." Chikorita curled up and nuzzled him as he sobbed silently into a pillow. Eventually, he straightened up, and rubbed his tears away. Reaching over to his bag, he pulled out a journal, and a pen. He sucked on it for a moment, staring into the middle distance, before deciding on what to write.  
  
Brock, Misty, if you are reading this, I beg you to not look at anything else in my journal. I may not be able to stop you, but please respect my wishes. I am writing this to tell you that at midnight tomorrow, at the end of the festival, I will be getting the direct coach to Cerulean City, and then returning to Pallet town. To start again, and look for a new job. I can' t keep on going like this, living a lie, and so I will be returning home to make a fresh start. I am writing this now, because I may not be able to tell you again. You may not be here tomorrow, or I will be asleep when you return tonight, so it may all go unsaid.  
  
Brock, thanks for all you have done for me. Thank you for your advice, and help. You've been the brother and father I never had. I'll always remember your cooking, your peacemaking between me and Misty, and your humour. I'm sure one day, one day soon, you'll get the girl of your dreams, stay with her, and have a great time as a Pokemon breeder. Have a wonderful life, and good luck. Come and visit me some time.  
  
Pikachu, buddy, I'd love to take you with me, but I'm afraid that I'd have nothing for you to do and you have far more potential to use than to waste by sitting around with me in Pallet. Stay with the others, and keep Togapei company. Thanks for everything buddy. I'll really miss you.  
  
Misty.  
  
Ash stalled, filled by confusion. *What do I say? Do I tell her everything, or nothing at all? Hell, it's gone too far to keep secrets. By the time she reads this, I'll be gone or she'll know already.*  
  
Misty, I'll miss you the most. If you read this once I've gone, just know that I truly love you. But love alone is not enough, and after we've hurt each other so much, it is best if we go our separate ways. I never meant to call you scrawny, or anything else, as you're the most beautiful person I've ever known. But to listen to you tell me I was useless, or hopeless, or a waster, or that I would so much as let anything scratch you in pursuit of my goals was enough to nail my hopes to the floor. I so wish this could happen another way, but I can see no silver lining to the stormclouds. Goodbye, sweet Misty, and good luck. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not the most sensational sister.  
  
Ash marked the page with a piece of paper, scrawled "Read me" On the top, and put it into Misty's backpack. Then, walking across to the mini-bar, he grasped a handful of bottles, and walked back across to the bed. Turning on the TV, and putting on the sports channel, he steeled himself for his first taste of alcohol. He closed his eyes, and took a deep gulp from one of the bottles. Feeling a worm of fire pass through his body, he turned to Chikorita sat by him on the bed, and smiled.  
  
"Looks like it's just me and you tonight then, Chikorita..."  
  
"Ohhhh, go on then, owzabowtanuvver Chi-Chi-Chikorita?" Ash slurred, weaving around by the minibar, trying to stay upright.  
  
"Ch-I-hic" Chikorita weaved over to Ash, nodded her assent, and fell off the bed. Ash collapsed back on the bed in paroxysms of laughter as Chikorita tried three times to get back to her feet, before stumbling head first into the chest of drawers. Ash wiped away tears of mirth, and started to sink another bottle. His face glowed as it worked its way down, and he hiccuped loudly.  
  
"Aaaah, f-four in halfanowr, an' an' an' I'm shtill shober. It ha-hasn't affffected me what-whatso-whatso- at all." (Ash didn't realise three things - One, that he was drinking high quality whisky, which could get you tipsy by smelling it, Two - That he'd never drunk before and so he only needed a half of shandy to get him steaming, and Three - ANYONE who says the line "It hasn't affected me at all" should call a cab pronto, else in waking up in the morning will bring one of 4 sights ; a park bench, the floor, a prison cell or floor pizza.) Ash looked at the television, with about 50 little figures running around the screen. He felt sure there hadn't been that many at the start of the game. Come to think of it, he only remembered one TV at the start of the game.  
  
"Chhicoh." Chikorita had forgotten three things as well - One, she'd never drunk, two - that she was drinking whisky, and three - it's never a good idea to drink at the same rate as someone five times bigger than you are. What started off as an act of companionship for Ash had rapidly become an alcoholic stupor strong enough to make you think you can fly. Well, at least until you hit the ground.  
  
"Chiii." Chikorita bumped into Ash's leg, in an attempt to get him to pick her up onto the bed. Ash bent down slowly... and kept going until his forehead bounced off the floor. Lying on the bedroom floor with Chikorita at his side, they both started to giggle, and giggle, and giggle some more...  
  
"Brock, can I ask you for a favour?" Misty glanced over her milkshake to Brock. Brock sat back, and placed his hands behind his back.  
  
"Okay, shoot."  
  
"Well, I-I think I can get Ash to see how much he needs to go on with his training." Misty glanced up only to see Brock's expression remain carefully neutral. "I'm gonna battle the gym leader tomorrow, using some of his Pokemon, and dedicate my match and badge to him. Maybe then he'll see how much we, and his Pokemon want him, need him to keep training. Maybe he'll also see that I didn't mean anything too." Misty finished speaking and looked back at Brock. He stayed silent for a moment, and then asked "Where do I fit in?"  
  
"I'll need you to get him there for the right time, and stop him from leaving before I've finished. Oh, and I need you to help me get some of his Pokemon." Misty turned to Pikachu, sat next to Togapei. "Pika, I need you onside for this too. Will you help me and battle for me?"  
  
"Pi-ka!" ("Of course!")  
  
Misty resumed staring at Brock as he chewed the idea slowly. Eventually, he nodded, and returned her look.  
  
"It's as good an idea as any. I'll help you, and hope that he takes it the right way." Misty breathed out in relief. *Well, at least I'll get my chance. It'll be up to him to listen.* "What Pokemon you gonna use Misty?" Misty started and brought her thoughts to the present.  
  
"Well, Pikachu is one, and I guess Bulbasaur is two. I know Bulbasaur has been here too long to not listen. As for the other one..."  
  
"Well, it's not gonna be a certain jealous grass-type is it?" Brock interrupted. "If you told Chikorita to breathe she'd probably choke herself out of spite. Anyway, you've already got a grass-type."  
  
"Hmmmm, so it's Heracross, Totodile and Cyndaquil. Well, Totodile is only interested in dancing and hardly listens to anything anyway, so he'd out. Plus, he'd probably just drool if the Gym leader brought out a female Pokemon as it is."  
  
"Pika-pi, pika pikachu." ("remember Heracross and Bulbasaur don't exactly see eye to eye too.") Pikachu chipped in.  
  
"Yeah, and Cyndaquil is a really nice Pokemon to work with. She just likes to help people." Brock added.  
  
"Looks like Pikachu, Cyndaquil and Bulbasaur then." Misty finished. The three of them finished their milkshakes, and ordered coffee (Pikachu also ordered a bottle of their finest Heinz Ketchup.)  
  
"I wonder how Ash is doing?" Misty wondered aloud. Brock caught her eye and grinned.  
  
"He's always on your mind. How sweet!" he sniggered, and braced himself for the incoming mallet. To his surprise, Misty just scraped the froth from her coffee, and murmured "Yeah.."  
  
"Uuurgh, why is is the ceiling mooving? Ah, neverrr miiind, gis' ano'r bot'l o tha' w-w-w-stuff Chicky." Ash sprawled on the floor, half propped against the side of the bed, hiccuping constantly. Chikorita stretched out a bind whip, which went out of the window ten feet away from the half-empty minibar, instead bringing in a bottle of window cleaner left by a forgetful cleaner. Ash took hold of the bottle and, after a battle with the top, took a slug. "Urgh, wha's dis rubbish?" He heaved the bottle out of the window, and heard it crash onto the street below followed by a squeal of surprise. Shaking, he got onto all fours, and made for the minibar himself. After what seemed an eternity, but was in fact no more than about half an hour, he made it. Holding onto half a dozen bottles in each hand, he turned back the way he'd come, and promptly fell face-first forwards again. He rolled slowly back to his old spot, and propped himself up again, the world spinning kaleidoscope-like before his eyes. He put an arm around Chikorita and cracked open another bottle, taking a slug. Again a line of fire burned down his body, and he offered the bottle to Chikorita, who took a swig herself.  
  
"Y'know Chicky, I loooove you. You've all-always been ereforme, an' an I love youforit."  
  
"Hic" Was the only response Chikorita could make.  
  
"I-I'll be back now, Chicky." Ash got up slowly, and weaved his way to the bathroom. Chikorita fell into a deep sleep, and didn't even hear the crash coming from the Ash's direction.  
  
"We're baaack! Whew! Geez, it smells like a brewery in here!" Brock shook himself as the scent of drink hit him. Scurrying across the room, he almost tripped over Chikorita, who was laying with her legs in the air in front of the television which was still blaring. He opened the window, and looked out into the street.  
  
"Um.Brock?" Misty's voice echoed from the bathroom.  
  
"Yeah?" Brock's eye caught sight of a bottle on the floor. No, two bottles. No, four, eight, twelve, twenty..oh boy. *At least around eight of those bottles are unopened. So he hasn't killed himself or anything.*  
  
"Um, Ash is in here, but he's kinda..comatose at the moment."  
  
Brock turned to go and look, when Chikorita gave a sleepy "Hic" from the floor and rolled over. Brock blinked in surprise for a moment. *Looks like Ash has been sharing his sorrows.* and walked over to where Misty called him. Stopping short in the doorway, he took in the scene. Ash, laying in the bath fully clothed on his back, with his legs slung over the side and the contents of the bathroom cabinet strewn across his body.  
  
"Looks like Ash found himself a bed for the night..."  
  
"Do you think we should leave him there?" Misty looked at him in wide-eyed surprise.  
  
"He won't notice until tomorrow. It'll be easier for him to sleep in here than me or you."  
  
"But what if one of us.needs to use the bathroom tonight?"  
  
"Heh, he'd probably sleep through an earthquake. Besides, there's always the one in the lobby downstairs." Brock turned to look at Misty. Besides, if you think we could carry him after god-knows how many drinks he's had, you've got another thing coming. Misty followed Brock from the bathroom, and gazed at the two-dozen or so empty bottles which were scattered across the room.  
  
"He really did go nuts didn't he?"  
  
"Yep. I think Chikorita had some as well you know." Brock prodded Chikorita who was as floppy as a rag doll. "You could throw her out of a window and she wouldn't know it."  
  
"This is my fault isn't it?" Brock swivelled and watched Misty with a stunned silence. "I was the one who broke him up, and pushed him over the edge. It was me." Brock opened his mouth to deny it, but no sound emerged. "Perhaps he's better off without me.." At this, Misty fell backwards onto the bed, and tears streamed down her face. "I'm going to have to make it up to him tomorrow. I can't fail. I won't fail. I.I love him too much!" With that, Misty cried her heart out. Brock just sat rubbing her back, until she fell asleep. Brock then walked to Ash's backpack, took Bulbasaur and Cyndaquil, and put them in his bag. He then settled down on the other bed, and closed his eyes.  
  
"At least she's asleep.ah well. G'night everyone, see you in the morning, whatever it may bring." As he gently slipped from consciousness, Brock wondered exactly what tomorrow would bring. If only he knew...  
  
  
  
How was that? I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please R&R to tell me so, and if not, R&R to tell me why! I don't mind criticism as long as it is constructive. So, again, please R&R! (Gives everyone big puppy eyes.) The next Chapter will be the last, so I'm starting work on it now. It should be around sometime this month! 


	4. Night of change

Hi there!  
  
This, unlike planned, will not be the last chapter, as there is more that needs to be done and said which I couldn't fit into one chapter. So expect another one! (Listens to chorus of groans.) Errr, yes. Anyway, big thanks to all reviewers, they really do make me happy! I'd be the first to admit I'm easily broken by criticism, but so far they have all been positive. So, comments, response, criticism, all readily accepted! (Well, maybe not criticism, but as long as it is constructive, and tells me the problem, it's good.) So, PLEASE R&R! (Tries the big anime puppy eyes again.)  
  
Here is chapter 4.  
  
  
  
Darkness. Ash wished it could dull sensation as well as sight. He had been asleep, but in what definitely wasn't a bed. Wincing, he turned his head slightly, only to be rewarded with a twinge in his neck and a blizzard of torturous pain from within his skull. He looked at his watch, and through the gloom, barely penetrated by the diffuse light glinting beneath the bathroom door, could just make out the numbers 12.30. He slowly raised himself up on his elbows, and peered around groggily. The peach coloured bathroom swirled around him, the enamel glinting eerily with the little light which faintly illuminated the room. Groaning, he pulled himself up to sit on the side of the bath, toothbrushes, soap and packets falling off him and pattering onto the tiled floor, and was greeted by a sudden swirling of the surroundings. Feeling reminiscent of a leaf in a whirlwind, Ash tried to stand up. As he did so, the world flashed and he staggered forwards blindly, grasping the sink with a flailing hand in an attempt to steady himself. Slowly, he fell down to the floor again, before feeling his stomach churn wildly. Groaning in pain, he franticly crawled over to the toilet, and lifted the lid.  
  
Misty had woken up less than an hour after she'd fallen asleep. The blankets, which had started off so appealing and comforting, now chafed at her like sandpaper. Irritably, she tossed and turned, while Pikachu, Togapei and Brock slept silently, trying to find a spot that would allow her mind to rest as well as her body. *This is futile. I'm not going to get any sleep tonight. I never should have slept so long on the coach. Or maybe this is my punishment..* Sitting up, she eased herself to the edge of the bed, only to be startled by a soft noise coming form the bathroom. *It's only Ash.* She breathed with relief. *I hope he's okay..It's far too familiar to come home to find someone you love in that state, it brings back memories...* This hope was somewhat dampened by the sound of someone falling to the floor. *Ash?* Misty got up, and nearly tripped into the wall. Looking down, she saw Chikorita unmoving on the floor. *Even when you don't know it, you still manage to get between me and Ash!* Misty felt a sudden, uncontrollable urge to get her revenge on Chikorita. She bent down, and was about to vent her frustrations with a barrage of words when she heard frantic movements. Picking her way past the bottles strewn on the carpet, shining in the pale silvery moonlight, she came to the door of the bathroom. As she put her hand on the door handle, the only noise which greeted her was that of someone being violently sick.  
  
"Ash?!"  
  
"Ash?!" Ash slowly lifted his head, and gazed through haunted eyes at Misty.  
  
"Are you okay Ash?"  
  
"Uuuh, yeah Mist, I'm o..urk!" Ash retched again, and then closed his eyes, head in his hands. "God, I think I'm gonna die here." Misty came over and felt his head. Her features paled in surprise.  
  
"You're burning up! I don't know how much you've drunk, but I've got to get you to a hospital!"  
  
"Honestly, Misty, there's no need." With that, Ash paused, and was sick again.  
  
"Ash, you're coming with me! Now!" Misty shouted at Ash as he rested his head in his hands again.  
  
"I told you Mist, there's no nee.." Ash slumped over, and slid down against the wall.  
  
"Ash!" Misty ran some water, and splashed Ash's face. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked up with a glazed expression. "I'm calling an ambulance!" Misty turned to get a phone, but was tugged back. Ash, holding onto he pyjama leg, shook his head.  
  
"Mist, it's only a block away. I can walk."  
  
"But Ash, you passed out!"  
  
"And I came back." Misty looked at Ash staring back at her, with some of his old determination. "Let's leave the ambulances for those who really need them." Ash got to his feet with Misty's help, and was rewarded with another chasm of darkness threatening to engulf him. Gritting his teeth, he managed to lean against the wall, and fight it off. "Get us out coats, Mist. We just need them, and something to put on our feet." Misty ran out, re-appearing with two coats, two pairs of shoes and her bag almost instantly. Ash, with her help, managed to get into them, and they moved towards the door. But Ash stopped short.  
  
"Chikorita!!"  
  
"Huh?" Misty spun to see Ash stagger back into the room, bend down like an old man, and scoop Chikorita gingerly into his arms. For an awful moment, Misty thought Ash would lose his balance, but he stood upright again slowly.  
  
"She won't wake up!" Ash franticly tried to wake her, but Chikorita didn't respond. Ash dropped down to one knee, crumpled by shock. Misty hurried over to him, and gazed cautiously down. Chikorita was still breathing, but looked in bad shape. As uncertain as she was with Chikorita, Misty felt a stab of guilt at seeing her limp, comatose form.  
  
"C'mon, let's take her to a Pokemon centre." Ash rose quickly, and was overcome by a wave of dizziness and nausea. *I haven't got time to worry about myself! Chikorita needs to get help, quick.* Shoving away his feelings of weakness, Ash straightened up and moved more quickly to the door, leaving Brock, Pikachu and Togapei still sleeping in their beds. Misty followed him, shutting the door behind her, and they moved quickly to the elevator at the end of the corridor. As the elevator started descending, Misty watched Ash, barely able to stay on his feet, tenderly stroking Chikorita's face and whispering to her.  
  
"Ash?"  
  
".Yes?"  
  
"What are you saying?" Misty asked, unable to conceal her curiosity any longer.  
  
"I'm just telling her, if she can hear me, that everything will be alright, and we'll be at the Pokemon centre soon." The lift stopped, and the three of them stepped out into the deserted lobby, heading for the front doors. As they opened, a gust of wind caught them, and Ash shuddered. Misty opened her arms towards him, only to see his eyes widen in surprise.  
  
"Give me Chikorita. I'll take her, you go to the hospital, and get sorted out." Ash stared at her for a moment, then shook his head.  
  
"No."  
  
"Ash, don't be stupid! It's five blocks to the Pokemon centre, so you'll have to go all the way back to get to hospital!" Misty looked on in disbelief as Ash shook his head again.  
  
"Chikorita needs me. My Pokemon is ill, and it's my fault. So it's my responsibility to make sure she gets what she needs." With that, Ash turned towards the Pokemon centre and started walking along the litter-strewn, deserted street. Misty glared at his back for a second, with a mixture of frustration and respect, with a little admiration and love. *This is how much he cares for his Pokemon. I just have to show him that it works both ways.* Misty shook her head, a rueful smile on her lips. *He reminds me so much of her. I just hope he cares that much for me..someday.*  
  
"Nearly there Ash, nearly there." Misty helped Ash down the street, her words of encouragement drowning the rustle of paper bags and cardboard dancing in the night-time breeze. The once busy main street was now empty, the people gone to bed in preparation for the big party the next night, but the street still bore effects of the evening's carousing. Ash stumbled again, but was caught by Misty's supporting arm and regained his balance. *I can hardly see the floor. I don't know how much further I can go..* Biting back the nausea threatening to envelop him, he paced blindly on, each step a mountain to climb, still resolutely holding Chikorita limp in his arms.  
  
"We're here." Misty rang the attention bell, and seconds later, a Chansey popped her head out. Ash held Chikorita out towards Chansey, and tried to tell her what was wrong, but all that emerged was a groan. Chansey took a quick look at the unmoving Pokemon in Ash's hands and beckoned them inside. She took Chikorita out of Ash's now unresisting arms and put her onto a bed, before wheeling her through the double doors of the treatment room. A tired-looking nurse Joy appeared, and walked over to Ash and Misty.  
  
"Do you know what the problem is?" She asked as kindly as anyone with two hours sleep can.  
  
"....." Ash stared fixedly at the floor, and then put his face in his hands.  
  
"Nurse, I can tell you." Misty piped up.  
  
"Well, come on through, and we can work out what to do." Joy turned, and walked towards the treatment room.  
  
"Ash, will you be okay?" Misty asked gently. Ash, still silent with his face in his hands, nodded once. Misty turned and quickly followed Joy through the double doors.  
  
"So what happened young lady?" Joy turned her friendly eyes to Misty.  
  
"Well, myself and a friend, not him, but another friend went out this evening, to discuss something. He, that is Ash outside, had seemed depressed since we'd had an...argument a day or so ago." Here Misty paused, her anxiety and emotions curling into a knot inside her. She took a deep breath and continued. "He said he wanted to stay in and relax, and Chikorita was staying with him. I was pleased, , as he was who I wanted to discuss and he thought it meant that I wanted to be away from him. Anyway, we went out for a while, and when we came back..." Misty's emotions balled themselves into a fist and hit her from inside. A single teardrop rolled down her cheek, and splashed to the floor. ".he'd gone through half of the minibar with Chikorita, and made himself sick and Chikorita passed out and it's all my fault." Joy turned, and looked at Chansey.  
  
"Chansey, get a fluid drip into her straight away! And give her a diuretic, to get the Alcohol out of her."  
  
"Chansey!" Chansey quickly set to work. Joy turned back to Misty, and gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
"I'm sure it's not your fault. Everyone has arguments." She began, but cut off as Misty looked her in the eye.  
  
"That boy out there is Ash Ketchum." Joy blinked, recognition dawning. That young man was Ash Ketchum? Ash had been getting a reputation in the Johto region as being the best young trainer around, after his victory in the Orange islands. "He came in the top sixteen in the Indigo league aged eleven, won the Orange league and became a hall of famer before he was thirteen, the youngest ever, he owns three Johto badges now before he'd turned fourteen, and I made him give it all up." Misty's eyes blurred with tears once again. Joy looked on compassionately as she took a steadying breath and continued. "I accused him of using everyone to get his way, of abusing his Pokemon for his own pride. He believed me, and now he's drunk himself almost into oblivion just because I started an argument to hide the fact I blushed when he looked at me!" Misty collapsed into sobs as the frustrations of the last day took hold, and washed over her as a wave breaking on the shore. Joy patted her on the cheek.  
  
"Couples fight. It'll happen time and time again."  
  
"B-but we're n-not a c-couple, and now, I-I don't think he'll e-ever w-w- want to be.." Misty sniffed, her long red hair sticking to her face where the tears had left their mark. Joy waited until Misty had calmed down, and handed her a tissue.  
  
"All you need to know is that in his time of need, you were there to help him here." Joy glanced at Chikorita. "I don't know about Chikorita.. If she'd been out for another hour, she would have been dehydrated and the alcohol poisoning would have time to take effect and she wouldn't have stood a chance, but she's still in there as long as we get fluids into her and wash away the unabsorbed alcohol. Oh, and tell Ash to drink lots of water, eat something, and take one of these." Joy handed Misty a tablet. "It'll help flush the alcohol out of his system, like for her. But make sure he drinks lots of water or it'll make him even more dehydrated." Misty agreed, brushed the hair from her face, and walked over to Ash. As she sat by him, Joy came over with a jug of water, two glasses, a blanket and a pillow. Winking at Misty, who smiled feebly back, she turned around and went back into the treatment room.  
  
"I-Is Chikorita gonna be okay Mist?" Ash stuttered.  
  
"Uuuuum.." Misty began, which was not the right way to start. With startling venom, Ash clenched his hand and slammed it into the padded arm of the sofa.  
  
"Dammit, this all my fault! I've killed her! I've." Ash's face cracked, and he fell silent.  
  
"No! Nurse Joy doesn't know yet, they're doing tests now." Misty paused, and swivelled to face him. "Ash, don't blame yourself! She chose to drink, you didn't make her.." Ash still sat statue-esque, and didn't respond when Misty rested a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up, Ash. You did nothing wrong."  
  
"But if I wasn't trying to drown my sorrows, then this wouldn't be happening.." Ash muttered, unmoving.  
  
"Ash, she'll be fine." Misty jumped as Ash smashed the sofa again.  
  
"What if she isn't? She did it just to make me happy, why? Why should she risk her life for something as unworthy as me?" With that, Ash's resolve snapped. The agonies of the last day, uncertainty at the future, anger at the past, fear for his friend and confusion at the world, fuelled by exhaustion and the effects of drink lingering, whipped itself up into a blazing wall of fire, broke through the dam of self-restraint, and engulfed him. Closing his hazel eyes to the world, he let free a scream of fury. Burying his head in his arms, he let his fears flow from him freely, without restraint. Misty silent slid against him, and rested his head on her chest. Stroking his matted hair, she let him let his anger vent itself until his sobs became whimpers, and finally stopped. Misty reached over to the jug, and poured two glasses of water. She drank one herself, and gave the other to Ash with the tablet she'd been given, and he slowly drank the glass. He then got up slowly, and slumped forward onto the cold pink floor. Misty helped him up, and was about to sit him down again when Ash shakily spoke.  
  
"I-I'm feeling kinda sick again, so could you help me to the toilet Mist?" In response, Misty helped him to his feet and slowly guided him towards the door, which she opened, and helped him inside. Shutting the door again on her way out, she promised herself. *Ten minutes, and then I'm coming in to check if you are alright or not, whatever you're doing!* She sat back down on the seat, and paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. *Looks like we'll be okay here. Besides, Ash couldn't make it to a hospital now. And he won't let me call an ambulance for him. He's just too stubborn, too idiotic, too selfless, too brave. But that's why I love him...* Misty dug into her bag, fingers searching for her diary. Feeling a leather-bound book, she drew it out, only to feel numb in surprise. Ash's diary? She'd only seen it a handful of times, and each time he'd shut it as soon as he sensed her presence. But what was it doing here? A piece of paper stuck out of the top, saying "Read Me!" Mouth suddenly inexplicably dry, she opened it to the page. There she read:  
  
Brock, Misty, if you are reading this, I beg you to not look at anything else in my journal. I may not be able to stop you, but please respect my wishes. I am writing this to tell you that at midnight tomorrow, at the end of the festival, I will be getting the direct coach to Cerulean City, and then returning to Pallet town. To start again, and look for a new job. I can't keep on going like this, living a lie, and so I will be returning home to make a fresh start. I am writing this now, because I may not be able to tell you again. You may not be here tomorrow, or I will be asleep when you return tonight, so it may all go unsaid.  
  
Ash was going to leave? Go back to pallet? Misty read on.  
  
Brock, thanks for all you have done for me. Thank you for your advice, and help. You've been the brother and father I never had. I'll always remember your cooking, your peacemaking between me and Misty, and your humour. I'm sure one day, one day soon, you'll get the girl of your dreams, stay with her, and have a great time as a Pokemon breeder. Have a wonderful life, and good luck. Come and visit me some time.  
  
Misty shook her head. Ash is planning to go home. *This is all because of me..* She wiped her eyes and continued.  
  
Pikachu, buddy, I'd love to take you with me, but I'm afraid that I'd have nothing for you to do and you have far more potential to use than to waste by sitting around with me in Pallet. Stay with the others, and keep Togapei company. Thanks for everything buddy. I'll really miss you.  
  
He was even letting Pikachu go?! Misty knew that whatever was left, it had something to do with.her. Steeling herself for the worst, she turned over the page and, taking a deep breath, continued.  
  
Misty, I'll miss you the most. If you read this once I've gone, just know that I truly love you.  
  
Misty swooned in shock. Suddenly, she felt like she wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, to dance and sing in joy, to cringe and weep in sorrow. *It's true. Ash loves me! Oh, Ash...* Misty continued to scan the words.  
  
But love alone is not enough, and after we've hurt each other so much, it is best if we go our separate ways. I never meant to call you scrawny, or anything else, as you're the most beautiful person I've ever known. But to listen to you tell me I was useless, or hopeless, or a waster, or that I would so much as let anything scratch you in pursuit of my goals was enough to nail my hopes to the floor. I so wish this could happen another way, but I can see no silver lining to the stormclouds. Goodbye, sweet Misty, and good luck. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not the most sensational sister.  
  
"Oh, Ash..." Misty could say no more as her tears swelled up inside her and ran in tiny rivulets down her cheeks. *He loves me, but thinks I hate him, how can I do that to him? I love him too much to let him slip away!* Misty read the last line again, and felt a fresh gust of emotions hit her. *No- one has ever said that to me, or anything like it, ever.* She looked up, to the room where Ash still hid. *Ash, you're not going back to Pallet. I won't let you! Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil himself, I'm not going to let you leave!* Misty noticed a small notice on the bottom of the page - Look in the back part of your backpack. Misty unzipped the pocket, and almost fainted. Hundreds of banknotes, rolled up and bound by a paper strip. She pulled it out, and read its message.  
  
Here is $5,000. This is for you Misty, to buy the best bike in Celadon city. It's correct, I've counted it ten times. (This is why I wouldn't pay for an extra room - it's taken me two years to save.) All my love, Ash. Misty's heart melted, and she stared in disbelief at the swathe of notes in her palm.  
  
"Ash, how can I ever say thank you enough for all this.." Misty murmured, running her hands through the pile of money. A toilet flushed, and Ash staggered out as Misty frantically stuffed the money and diary back into her bag. She got up and crossed over to Ash, who gladly took her arm. Slowly, they returned to the settee, and sat down.  
  
"Ash, have another drink." Misty offered another glass of water to Ash, who slowly drained it.  
  
"Mist, I-I'm really ti..." Ash's words were drowned out by an enormous yawn.  
  
"Don't worry Ash, sleep here." Misty patted the settee.  
  
"B-but where will you..(yawn)."  
  
"I'll stay here with you." Misty smiled as Ash's head slid down to rest in her lap. Reaching out, she took the blanket off the tray and spread it over Ash as his eyelids drooped.  
  
"Sweet dreams.." Ash looked up into her aquamarine eyes, and for the first time, let himself drown in them. He gazed up at her until drowsiness crept up on him and gently wrapped him in a web of sleep. Moments before he dropped into the web, he craned up to Misty, and gently touched her cheek with his lips.  
  
"Thank you Mist. Thank you for everything." With that, his eyes closed and his face visibly relaxed, lines of worry replaced by the supple face of peace. Misty leaned forward, and kissed him on the forehead. *Sleep well, my Pokemon master.*  
  
The diary opened, landing on Ash's last entry. Misty took a moment to think, before continuing. *Should I look into Ash's mind? Is it really right to do this, when he asked me not to?* The brief inward struggle was won by curiosity and desire to know, know if Ash felt for her. Bracing herself, Misty closed the diary, and let it fall open at random. June second, 2001. Misty again glanced down at Ash's sleeping form before returning to her reading.  
  
Today, I nearly caught a Gyarados. Shame Misty and Brock weren't there to see it, they were off setting up camp. I nearly had it beaten before it sent up a wall of water as a screen, and when it fell, it had gone. I really wanted that Pokemon. It would've been perfect to give to Misty for her birthday.  
  
*He tried to catch a Gyarados, for me?* Misty glanced down at Ash again, in disbelief. A Gyarados, for her? Misty continued reading.  
  
It was really nice around the campfire that night. No one believed that I'd actually done what I did, but I had a good night anyway. Brock's wonderful supper, talking about everything and nothing, Pikachu dancing while we made a little improvised tune and beat, (and Brock played the spoons!).. And Misty looked gorgeous. I love her with her hair down, it seems to cascade, a flaring waterfall along her face, splashing onto her shoulders. Misty sighed to herself. *I didn't know you could be so poetic Ash.*  
  
I'd almost summoned up the courage to ask her to be my girl, but the conversation just moved away as I was about to tell her. Maybe tomorrow. But one day, I hope, I'll ask her. What if she says no? Is it better to live as friends than to take the plunge? Day by day, it gets harder as I care more and more. I'm afraid one day I'll reach a point that I'll love her too much to risk losing her, and never be able to ask. Well, I guess I've gotta go to bed, else I'll spend the night emptying my soul and never get to sleep.  
  
Goodnight my diary.  
  
Ash.  
  
Misty nodded. There was no doubt in her mind now, Ash felt the same way for her. She felt him stirring in her lap, and shut the diary, dropping it back into the backpack. His eyes flicked open, and stared into hers.  
  
"How long have I been sleeping?"  
  
"Not long, Ash. Only about an hour or so." Misty noticed that Ash had realised he was sleeping with his head in her lap. To her surprise (and delight) Ash didn't pull away as he always had. Instead, he relaxed, and just gazed at her for a long moment. Misty returned the gaze, heart fluttering, a nervous but cute smile perched on her lips. A thousand words seemed to pass between them without being spoken, a conversation to last a lifetime in the twinkling of an eye. But all too soon, Ash remembered why they were sat in a Pokemon centre, and shades of fear and guilt crept into his eyes.  
  
"Any news on Chikorita?" The merest quaver in his voice belied the front of confidence which he was hastily trying to erect. *I can't let the world think I'm weak. I gotta be strong, for Chikorita and myself.*  
  
"No, there isn't any news Ash. It's still about fifty-fifty..."  
  
"C'mon Chikorita, you can't die. You've got so much to live for." Ash growled, an expression of anxiety flashing onto his face, which was chased away as soon as it arrived. Misty took a long look, and then made up her mind. *Mist, you have to do this. You've got to be cruel to be kind, and he needs to realise what he's chosen to do is the wrong thing.* Misty steeled herself and spoke.  
  
"Ash, what does she have to live for?" Ash frowned slightly.  
  
"She's got the rest of her life ahead of her. Why do you need to ask that question?"  
  
"For the last few months, she's lived as a trained Pokemon. Now, you're gonna let her go!" Ash sat up slowly, and shook his head.  
  
"She deserves better. Without me, she can go on and live a full life, without being made to fight." Misty gritted her teeth in anger at Ash's back. *Well Mist, you got him into this with your anger, now use it to dig him out. If you don't want to lose another one who you love, use the anger brought from the loss of another loved one!*  
  
"She loves battling, and she loves you! You are her world! Without you and her battling side by side, she hasn't got anything to live for!" Misty's rage built at every syllable, as Ash's shoulders sagged.  
  
"But Mist.."  
  
"No buts! If you give up on training, you give up on her, and yourself! You want to stop because you're being selfish? What is more selfish that stopping!" Misty paused and drew breath. Ash could feel her glare on his back.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ash mumbled, fighting off tears.  
  
"If you give up training you leave your Pokemon without a life! With a bit of selfish self-pity and wounded pride, you're ruining the lives of dozens of Pokemon, and most of all, me!" Misty felt her anger leave her as the real reason for it broke free. *There, I've said it. He knows now, why I'm so angry. If he leaves, I lose a friend, a brother, and my love. It's up to him to decide now.* Ash felt his mind glaze over as Misty's words hit home. *She is afraid of losing me? That's why she's so angry?* Tears again welled up in his eyes, borne out of confusion. *If she wants me that much, why can't she just come out and say it?* The answer smacked him right between the eyes. *The same reason I haven't said anything.* Ash took a choking breath, and gathered his composure. He lay back into Misty's lap, and sighed deeply.  
  
"Mist, I need to think this through. Just gimmie a little time okay?" Misty felt relief well up inside her. She'd got him to think about it, and maybe enough time to get him to stay.  
  
"Okay, Ash." She got herself comfortable, with Ash's head in her lap, and relaxed again. "After all, we've got all night.."  
  
The first hint of dawn began to filter into the still dark street, creating strange hues and shadows, casting images to mystify the eyes and seduce the mind. Inside the Pokemon centre, all was silent. Misty sat, Ash on her lap, gazing at nothing while Ash brooded, a look of deep concentration on his face. This had been the case for about an hour, when Joy had come into the room to say that Chikorita's fate was still uncertain. Since then Ash clamped up, putting on a hard front. Misty wondered why. *I'm the only one here, and I'm supposed to be his friend. Why can't he confide in me? Perhaps it's cause he doesn't feel he can, or he's afraid of appearing weak. Doesn't he understand I want to share that with him? I want to share his joy, sadness, fear, delight, anger, hate..I want to be his shoulder to cry on, the sharer of his laughter. I just want to be his...* Unbeknownst to her, Ash was thinking of her. *Why does Misty lose it so easily with me? Hmm, she usually does when I'm reckless, or if the conversation turns personal. And why would she never answer questions about her family? Every time I talk about my mother, she always looks kinda sad, and she always changes the subject if I ask about her past. Maybe it's time I broach the subject. I need to know, so here goes nothing..*  
  
"Mist?" Ash broke out of his internal struggles and looked up at her.  
  
"Yeah?" She answered distantly.  
  
"Erm..this is kinda hard to ask, but..what happened to your parents?" Ash watched closely for her response. Misty's gaze seemed to focus for a moment before it faded away again.  
  
"Well...My father, he, he died when I was about six. I miss him, he used to stand up for me when I got hen-pecked by my sisters." A wistful smile appeared on her lips. "He always cracked jokes, and kept our warring to a minimum. He could break us up when we were at each other's throats, get us to apologise, and we'd end up playing together again. I always can remember him with a smile." Misty looked down at Ash. "What about your dad?" *Ah, now I see. Changing the line of questioning to me. That means what I want to know is about her mother. I need to know why she gets so angry, and I think I've pinned it down.*  
  
"Well, my dad, he was, well, not present. I never knew him, and he left when he found my mother was pregnant. I've often wondered who he was, but I thought it was never worth the trouble of finding out. If he wasn't interested then, he won't be now. Besides, he'd just be a stranger to me. That's why I love my mom so much. She was my father too." *Nice turn there Ash, now you can ask.* "What about your mother?" Ash studied Misty carefully. Her expression changed to something Ash had never seen before framed on her face - hate.  
  
"Ash, you don't want to know about my mother." She replied in leaden tones, her look stony.  
  
"Mist, c'mon, something is eating at you, and I want to know why." He cajoled gently.  
  
"Ash, I don't want to talk about it!" Misty snapped, her temper again flaring.  
  
"Misty, when I look at you, I see an angel. But an angel with her wings clipped by anger." Misty's eyelids fluttered at the words. Ash paused, then continued. "You can be free, if only you could let it go." He took her hands in his, and gazed up into her eyes. "Mist, you can confide in me. I'll help you through it. Just please tell me what it is. I'm here for you to cry to." Misty's bottom lip trembled, her defences crumbling under Ash's gentle tone. Seeing this, Ash squeezed her hands. "It's about your mother isn't it?" Misty could only nod. "C'mon Mist, let it out." Ash intoned gently. Misty took a shuddering breath and looked down at her feet.  
  
"Yes. It's about her, and - and you." Ash didn't respond, he just stroked her hand and let her continue. "My mother was...a bit of a tomboy, like me. But she was a real hot-head. She'd do stupid things, like drive her boat like a lunatic, pull stunts, do crazy things. She'd gamble with our money, abuse alcohol, always looking for the next high in any way she could." Eyes glistening, she looked at Ash. "She never thought of the risks. She loved me, but never had time for me, she was too busy with another idiotic scheme. Eventually, she died...she took her risk too far and died in a speedboat accident. Before she ever let me know her. That's why I love the water, in some strange way it makes me feel like I somehow share a bond. We both love the water, so in a way it makes me feel like we share something." Misty shook her head, and bit her lip. "You see, the reason I get so angry with you is that you remind me so much of.her. You take such risks, you do things on impulse, and you never consider consequences. Also, you never seem to have enough time for..me." Misty's bottom lip trembled. Ash still stroked her hands gently, sensing she wasn't finished. "But-but you see, I still love her. But you, you do things on impulse because you want to help people, unlike her. You risk your life for other people, not your own thrill. So, much as I love her, it means I love you more. But I hate it that you risk things like her! I want to be with you forever, but it tears me in two every day!" Misty finished, and clenched her jaw, trying to bite back her bitterness. Ash moved a hand up to her face, and ran fingers through her hair.  
  
"C'mon Mist, let your wings free. Let go of the anger. Don't bottle it up." Ash slowly craned up, and kissed her tenderly. Misty froze as their lips met, but then returned the kiss with a passion gained through years of hidden desire. As their lips parted, a sea of emotion, a maelstrom of contrasting feelings clamouring to be expressed overwhelmed Misty. Ash sat up and turned, and cradled Misty's head as she cried, tears of anger, joy, fear, relief blended into one. Eventually, she stopped, and sat back, looking out of red-rimmed eyes at Ash. Ash stared back, hazel eyes wading deeply into Misty's aquamarine eyes, and smiled. Misty returned the smile.  
  
"Thanks Ash. This has been burning me up since the day we met.." Misty whispered.  
  
"Mist, I knew that whatever was wrong had something to do with me. I needed to know it was. I love you too much to have your temper separate us, so I had to get through whatever held you back..." Again they gazed at each other's face in silence, wearing smiles which felt too big for their faces. Slowly, they inched closer to each other again, until they held each other in a warm embrace. For what seemed like hours they just sat there, passions burning and lips aflame, until the sound of a buzzer brought them apart. Again they separated, just speaking to each other through their eyes, until the door to the treatment room opened, and Joy entered. Noting the close position of the two, and the Misty's hand clamped in Ash's, she smiled. *Looks like these two have made up..* She walked over to Ash, and smiled.  
  
"Ash, Chikorita will be fine. She's out of danger, and will be able to leave today." Ash sighed with relief, before turning to Misty.  
  
"Looks like it's okay. Guess she'll be ready to train again soon."  
  
"So, you're gonna keep going then?" Misty responded, a coy smile on her face.  
  
"How can I argue with these?" Ash joked, laying a finger on her lips. Joy giggled, and winked at Misty. Misty grinned, and turned back to Ash.  
  
"There is one problem, Ash." Ash's expression changed to that of confusion.  
  
"And what would that be?"  
  
"How are we gonna break this to Chikorita?"  
  
  
  
Chapter 5 May be up before Christmas, but I'm sure you can't wait!  
  
C'ya all soon.  
  
Dan. 


	5. Not a happy bunny.....

Here's the last Chapter! (Everyone discreetly disconnects from the net and goes to watch TV.) Oh, erm, yes! Glad to see everyone's happy!  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, they've helped me to get through my 1st semester in University as they made me feel good about myself, and I hope you can find the time to review this section as well. Remember, all reviews accepted gleefully, especially if they are nice, but constructive criticism also welcomed. Anything to help me improve!  
  
So, on with the last chapter.  
  
  
  
The dark world seemed lighter, somehow. Or perhaps she just hadn't been aware of it until now... Far away, a battle seemed to be going on, one which she seemed to be part of, yet distant to. Through hazy recollection and fuzzy thoughts, things dropped into place, a jigsaw puzzle assembling itself almost against her will. *I just want go back to where I was, it's more peaceful there...* From the very edge of perception, a voice whispered. A vision wandered into her mind, a vision which she had long lost in the depths of history. Her parents, happy as a child, playing with her siblings. Another, a petty dispute. She'd dug her heels in, never backed down, her family couldn't get her to relinquish her prize, what was it? *Ah, yes, it was a ball. A red ball just lying in the long grass.* A vine came out to snatch it, but she defended it with self-centred pride. And the ensuing fighting that went on, she was the centre of it, but why should she share? Finders-keepers after all. She found it, it was hers. *Red, like the blaze, the fire...*  
  
"Chi-KOOOOO!" Chikorita screamed, and awoke. Two figures jumped in surprise, and ran over.  
  
"Chansey, get a sedative just in case dear." Chikorita looked around, the dazed world sinking into focus, to see nurse Joy. She smiled slightly, and relaxed a little. Where there was a nurse Joy, there was a pokemon centre, which meant she was okay. But what about.. "Oh, and I'll go tell her trainers she's woken up." *Ash is okay too! But, what did she mean by trainers?*  
  
  
  
"Mist?"  
  
"Yeah, Ash?" Misty and Ash still rested where they had for hours and hours. Misty ran her fingers along his face tenderly as Ash idly played with her glowing, flowing hair.  
  
"What we going to do today?" Ash asked, turning his attention to her face, still fiddling with her hair.  
  
"Well, I gotta cancel my slot with the gym leader.." Ash shifted slightly, and looked up in confusion.  
  
"Gym leader? It's a little late to be collecting badges Mist."  
  
"It was gonna be a ploy to get you to keep going, Ash. I had a hair-brained scheme that if I took on the gym leader, using your pokemon, you would've seen how much they and I wanted you to keep going." Misty's mouth twitched into a smile as she met Ash's gaze. "Glad I don't have to try it now."  
  
"Maybe it's a good thing you didn't." Ash grinned. "Knowing me, I would've blown up! Or stormed out, or just...not..listened." He sank into reflective silence, as Misty stopped stroking his face.  
  
"Ash, is something wrong?" She asked quietly as his expression darkened.  
  
"Nah, it's nothing." Ash reached up for her hair again, but he was stopped by Misty's hand on his wrist. Following her arm upwards, he eventually reached her eyes with his, and puzzled at the stern look she wore. "Mist, what's the problem?"  
  
"Ash, you're the problem!" Misty growled, again reddening around the cheeks.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Ash, my - my mother always used to throw me off like that. When something worried her, she clamped it down, tucked it away, and drew a veil over it. I never could remove the veil. Ash, I love you, but I need you to be honest with me. Your problems, sadness, fears, all need to be shared. So, please, share them with me?"  
  
"But Mist, it's not to do with you.." Ash broke off as Misty squeezed his arm.  
  
"Ash, it's everything to do with me! I want to be a part of you, don't you get it? If I'm with you, I'm a part of you, so I want, no, need to know." A pause, a breath. "You have to share with me. I told you what I'd never spoken of last night, but I need to know you trust me too. Please Ash, I only want to help.." Ash looked back at her and saw pain, but most of all honesty and desire.  
  
"Okay Mist. I'm sorry, but apart from last night, I don't share things. Guess it's part of being a single child. It's just, well." He faltered, losing an inward battle. Misty moved closer to him, and passed an arm around him.  
  
"Let's see if I can give you a little courage, Ash." She whispered seductively into his ear, and gave him a peck on the cheek. Ash felt himself glow, and shuddered at her touch. *Okay, here goes nothing.*  
  
"Well, I was just thinking about how I nearly let all this go. Moped off home, got stuck in a job, wound away for years, never loving, never experiencing. And I'm worrying I'll might do it again."  
  
"Why?" Misty enquired, puzzled thoughts dancing through her mind.  
  
"Because of the way I am. Did I ever tell you about my days in school? No, I thought not, it's not something I ever say to anyone. Well, it's fair to say I'll never look like the sharpest knife in the drawer, the brightest bulb in the house. But in Pallet, the kids judged you on how smart you seemed. I, I'm not good at spelling, it takes me time to write because I'm slightly dyslexic, I can spell but I always have to check with the rules I've learned. Also, I've never been good at arithmetic. So, I was always known as a dope, the dunce of the school. All the other kids around Pallet had tutors, but my mom didn't work and couldn't afford one, so I never caught up to them. But I tried, and still got myself through. I learned how to deal with insults, and believe in myself. My mother always said real beauty was something within, not taught or bought. That helped me get through, and gave me a hard shell. But I couldn't have got through it without my great friend, Gary."  
  
"Gary?! Not - Gary Oak?" Misty blanched in surprise.  
  
"Yep, the very same." Ash continued in the same faraway voice. "He stood up for me, helped me with work, and we both loved pokemon. But leading up to the exams we had before we either went to further education or Pokemon training, he became distant. I just thought it was exam stress. But once we came out of the last exam, I heard him mutter to another friend "I bet I beat that loser Ash Ketchum." I didn't know he'd become part of a gang in school, all I knew was my one friend had betrayed me. I ran home, threw myself on the bed, and just cried for hours. Eventually my mother wheedled out of me what had gone on, and told me to "Pick myself up, dust myself off, and forget about it." I tried, I really did, but I thought I could trust him. With one comment, he sent a bullet through my armour, ruined my confidence, my belief in myself. I didn't think I could do anything, or that I wasn't up to the job. Slowly, I re-built my confidence until the exam results came out. I got there, opened my letter, and saw I'd passed with good grades in all my subjects, and a perfect mark in Pokemon studies. Then, for the first time since the last exam, I saw Gary. He ignored me, just grabbed his envelope, ripped the top off it. He read the letter, scrumpled it up, threw it in the bin and stalked out. I retrieved it, and took a look. Let's just say he passed a few, but not with anything like my grades. So, that evening, I went over to his house to commiserate and make up. I'll remember that night forever..  
  
  
  
"'Scuse me, is Gary there?" Professor Oak smiled.  
  
"Yes, Ash, come on in." I followed him through to his living room, and saw him standing with his back to me, facing the fire. I crept up alongside him, and tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Oh, it's you." he said coldly, and resumed his gaze at the fire. I turned so I faced him.  
  
"I saw your results..." I began, only to be interrupted.  
  
"Oh, so you've come around to gloat! Well fine, get it over with and leave. Besides, it doesn't matter, I'm gonna be the best pokemon trainer ever to come out of Pallet town, so who needs exams?"  
  
"But Gary."  
  
"Ash, shut up. I'm never gonna be a loser like you!" Those words almost froze me in place. Why did he say that?  
  
"Why am I a loser? I passed my exams..."  
  
"Yeah, but you're the dumbest kid in the school! How did you get so lucky?" With that, my blood started to boil. I'd worked, slaved, studied, practised, revised and studied some more for those exams and my one time friend was dismissing them just like that.  
  
"Dumb? How can I be dumb when you failed?" I saw an arm lash out rattlesnake fast, and felt a fist hit my jaw. It didn't even hurt me, I'd suffered far worse at the hands of others, but the action had all the finality of a guillotine dropping. I looked at Gary, and knew as well as he did, that if I was to fight him, there would only be one winner, and that was me. He almost looked as if he wanted me to lay into him, to justify his hate. But I wasn't prepared to be as weak as he was. I'd spent years learning strength and self-belief, only to have him shatter it. I wasn't going to appear weak, I was scared of showing weakness, as it would be exploited. That's how life is if you are unpopular as a kid. So, I just walked away. As I got into the dark, cold street, he came to the door. I'll never forget his final words:  
  
"I'll prove I'm a better man than you, Ash. You're an idiot, and you always will be, so I've already begun." He slammed the door, and I remember swearing to myself that I'd never let anyone know. I promised that I'd prove myself to be strong, and to never inflict myself on others.  
  
  
  
"I see now, after all these years he was lashing out because he knew, deep down, that it was all his own fault, but was too arrogant to admit. But ever since then, I've stayed true to my promises. I've never let anyone's insults get to me. Except for those who I hold, or held dear..." Ash trailed off, and squeezed his leg in an attempt to get control again. Misty just listened, open mouthed at the history she never knew. "Well, the other things I've promised never to do, well, you never saw until last night. I've always held back my deep feelings. Worry, uncertainty, fear. I've never ever wanted to appear weak. I know I slipped occasionally in the past, but I've never opened up, left myself vulnerable. And I've never tried to blame others for my weakness. I know I've got them, but I'm not worth the trouble for anyone else to take them off me." Ash's eyes closed to the world, and he took another, shaking breath. "I don't want you to worry about me, because I'm not worth that, but deep down I want you to care as well. So, I don't know what to do." With that, Ash's mouth trembled, but he caught himself in time and he fell silent. Misty, with an effort, shook herself back into reality. *I never knew. Ash doesn't believe he's worth me worrying about? Well, that explains a lot of things, like why he's so easily crushed by things I say...But I never knew how little belief in himself he has.* She thought carefully, and then spoke. "Ash, of course you're worth worrying about. Look where I would be now if I'd never met you, probably sat in Cerulean just watching TV or hiding from my sisters. I'd never have had so many adventures, met so many people, met the love of my life." She squeezed him tightly, and continued. "I never knew you felt that way, you've always been so confident."  
  
"Yeah, I've always been good at appearing confident. Good actor, huh?" Ash laughed, a hint of bitterness colouring it. "But now you see, see why you and Gary were always able to put me down, stop me in my tracks. And now, after what happened with Chikorita, I'm wondering if I'll push the self- destruct again someday. Last night was the first time I've let myself crack. I feel ashamed at being so weak in front of you, but kinda relieved as well. I'm going to have to work out which road I'll take, confidence and fear, or weakness and relief." A huge weight lifted off Ash's shoulders, as the burden finally slid off. He looked up at Misty, waiting for a response.  
  
"Ash, why do you see being open the same as being weak? Everyone needs someone to talk to. I usually talk to Togapi. She doesn't understand much, but it feels good."  
  
"I've never had anyone to confide in. Pikachu, - Pikachu is a great friend, but she gossips as much as a flock of spearow. Brock, well, see what I mean? He'd spill a mountain of beans to any Joy or Jenny, and therefore to the whole of a pokemon centre or police station just to try and get a date. And you...You were always too close to me to let you know things, and it's hard for a teenage guy to discuss personal things with a girl the same age. Plus, it seemed just a little too much like me and Gary in school back then. But now..." Misty smiled, and their eyes met.  
  
"Yes, you've got me." Ash's grin crept across his face, and pulled Misty into an even tighter embrace.  
  
"Ash Ketchum?" Joy came through the doors, and looked at the happy couple. The two of them grinned back, turning red at being caught in a passionate position. Noting the reddening of the two faces, Joy giggled. "What are you worried about? I remember seeing you two in more passionate exchanges than this last night! You know I won't say anything. Anyway, Chikorita has come round Ash, so I think she'd like to see you." Ash sat up quick as a flash at this, and was rewarded by a sudden whirling of his world and his stomach leaping up to meet his neck. He groaned, and sank back down to where he'd lay for most of the night, and held his head. Joy laughed, and Misty soon overcame her concern and joined in.  
  
"Hey guys, it's not funny, ooooooh, it's definitely not..." Ash shot up again, ignoring the mayday calls in his head, and shot over to the toilet again. Through the walls, noises could be heard.  
  
"Sounds like he's talking to - to Huey again!" Joy sniggered.  
  
"Yeah, and Ralph!" Misty replied, and the two of them screamed with laughter. The toilet flushed, and Ash came out looking dishevelled and pale.  
  
"That is sooo not funny you two." He snarled, but was only replied by a fresh peal of laughter. Eventually Joy wiped a tear form her eye and calmed down.  
  
"To be honest, you're lucky that's the worst you've got. You could've been in the same boat of Chikorita. Or worse." Misty sobered quickly at the thought, and eyed him with concern.  
  
"You sure you're okay to be on your feet, Ash?" He stumbled over to her, and caught her shoulder. Standing still, he shut his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again.  
  
"Yeah, now I think so. At least until I need to make another call to Huey again." Fighting the urge to laugh, Misty and Joy helped him into the treatment room.  
  
  
  
"Chi-koooh!" Chikorita cried joyfully as Ash came into the room. Her eyes narrowed a little out of concern that Ash was being supported, by Joy and...HER! Her eyes narrowed further, and she felt her body start to burn. The three of them paused as they saw her reaction.  
  
"Ummm, Ash, how about I wait outside?" Misty turned to go, but was held by Ash.  
  
"Mist, she's gonna have to get used to you, so we're starting now." Ash leaned down slightly, and ran his fingertips along Chikorita's leaf, who quivered in delight. "Chikorita, you feeling better?"  
  
("All the better to see you, Ashy.") Ash blinked at the pet name. After many months with Chikorita, he'd finally learned to understand her, but let Pikachu translate to keep her from knowing. If she'd known he knew exactly what she was saying, she'd get even closer..But now his reaction gave him away. Chikorita noticed his twitch in reaction to what she'd said, and put two and two together.  
  
("Ash, you know what I'm saying, don't you!") Chikorita feigned anger, but inwardly her heart sang. *I can talk to him! He'll be able to listen to what I want to say to him!* She glared at Ash, and his look faltered.  
  
"uh, yes, I can Chikorita." Misty and Joy spun to face him.  
  
"What was that Ash?" Misty looked from Chikorita, to Ash, and drew the obvious conclusion. "You can understand her!" Ash nodded silently, eyes still fixed on Chikorita. He dropped his voice, and mumbled to Misty. "Look, it's only been the language barrier which has held her back from making more moves to me. Imagine if you speak only English but don't understand Japanese, I can understand English but can only speak in Japanese, wouldn't it be impossible for us to be together? Relationships are all about communication, but in this situation, it could only work one way." He nodded to Chikorita. "Sorry Chikorita, but I needed to make sure I could understand you fully before I revealed it to you." *Nice cover there Ash, well done.* He congratulated himself, and waited to see her response. Unbeknownst to him, this was exactly what Chikorita hoped. *He was just making sure he got it right for me. Thank you, Ashy.* Ash stroked Chikorita for a while, but his eyes never left Misty. Even as Chikorita cooed quietly under his loving hand, he imagined it was stroking the face of a certain girl not a million miles away..  
  
  
  
Light lanced through the open window, striking the figure sleeping on a pillow across the face. Slowly, Pikachu yielded to the inevitable and opened one dark eye a crack. Gradually, she pulled herself up into a sitting position, facing the window. She rubbed her bleary eyes, and turned around to see an empty bed behind her.  
  
("Misty? Ash? Why is no-one in this bed?") She walked onto the bed, and took a deep sniff. *Hmmm, Misty was sleeping here, but judging by the fading smell and lack of warmth, she hasn't been here for hours. What about Ash?* Anxious, she scampered into the bathroom, to be met with a scene of chaos. The cabinet hung by one nail, skewed to one side. A picture lay on the wall, face down. Toothpaste, brushes, paper, packets and soap littered the tiles. But no Ash. Pikachu sniffed cautiously, and picked up a distinct smell. *Someone's had a bad night. Let's see - Ash smells of drink, seems like he falls down about here, then goes over to the toilet. He must have been really sick. Please let him be okay..* she traced Ash's positions with her nose, then noticed that his scent was joined by that of *Misty. Wherever they are, they're together. Right, seems she goes back out, comes back in, helps him out..* she wandered out into the main room, nose to the ground. *So, they look like going out, but Ash comes come back in, scent vague, must be moving quick, and stops for a while here - oh dear.* Pikachu picked up a strong scent of Chikorita mixed with drink. One which Ash had picked up. *This looks bad. If Ash has to pick Chikorita up, then she's in a bad way, and if she's in a bad way, there's only one place he'll be.* Hurriedly, she jumped on Brock's bed cuffed him gently around the ear.  
  
"No, Jenny, we'll do it in the morning." Brock snuffled and turned over. Pikachu shrugged her shoulders, and took the phlegmatic approach. One small thunderbolt later, Brock had her full attention. He was also smoking somewhat, and had hair which stood like a platoon of troops on parade, but that didn't really matter.  
  
("Brock, Ash and Misty aren't here.") Pikachu said.  
  
"You woke me up for that?" Brock replied, red faced.  
  
("It smells like Ash got up in the night, was sick, and Misty came to help him. As they were on their way, Ash rushed back in to get Chikorita, and it smells like he carried her out.")  
  
"So, what you're saying is that they're at the local pokemon centre, and you don't know if Ash and Chikorita are okay or not." Brock finished for her, still blushing. Pikachu frowned in confusion, her deep worry being replaced by a sense of suspicion.  
  
("What's the problem? Why you blushing?") She pressed, uncertainty plastered across her face.  
  
"Uuuuh, nothing! Just from your thunder shock! Why don't you pop out for a bit of fresh air and let me freshen up?" Brock gabbled franticly.  
  
("Why can't I stay in here?") Pikachu replied.  
  
"Uh, I'm a little shy, that's all!" Brock reflexively drew the sheets up to his chin, looking as if he'd spent an hour in a sauna room.  
  
("It never usually bothers you - Oh, so that's it!") An evil smirk perched on Pikachu's face. ("Brock's had a good night then?")  
  
"Ummmmm..." Brock made a passable impression of a beetroot.  
  
("Heh. I'm afraid that you're gonna have to live with me being in here while you "Freshen up" 'cause if you try shoving me out into the hall when I want to watch a little TV, Ash and Misty might just find out you've been having little dreams about officer Jenny..") Pikachu tried hard not to laugh at the internal battle being played out on Brock's face.  
  
"O-okay, as long as you keep your eyes on the telly, you blackmailer!" Brock growled, and headed for the shower as Pikachu smiled. *Maybe, but at least I'm a happy blackmailer.*  
  
  
  
Twenty minutes later, Brock and Pikachu arrived outside the Pokemon centre, with Togapi in Brock's backpack. The pokemon centre appeared empty, but the door yielded when they pushed. Pikachu sniffed the air. *yes, they're here.* just then, the treatment room door burst open, emitting a franticly moving Ash. A split second later, the toilet door slammed shut. The sounds from within gave a hint that mother nature was receiving another kind donation.  
  
"Yep, that's our Ash, eh Pikachu?" Brock grinned, seeing the funny side.  
  
("yep.") Pikachu replied, relief filtering through her face. The treatment room door slammed again, and Misty ran out. She scurried over to the toilet door, and rapped on it.  
  
"Ash, you okay?" She called out, and receiving no answer, opened the door and stepped inside. Pikachu and Brock stared on, mouths gaping. Did they just see Misty chasing after Ash, then going straight into the toilet after him to make sure he was alright? *Something has gone on here, last night. I don't know what, but something has been said.* Pikachu thought as Brock tried to get his facial expression back under control. It was a testament to the shock that nurse Joy walked into the reception area, and he didn't even flinch. They heard voices coming from in the room, and gradually Misty appeared, concern written in her eyes, supporting a sagging Ash. Still paying no heed to the new arrivals, she helped Ash over to the settee, and eased him down onto it. There, she poured him a cup of water, held it while he drank, and put it back on the table. She sank down next to him, and placed a tender arm around his shoulders as he slid gratefully into her embrace. His eyes slowly closed, and moments before they slid fully shut she bent down, murmured in his ear, and they kissed each other lovingly on the lips as sleep overcame Ash. As his head lay in Misty's lap, Misty petted his hair, whispering sweet nothings to him. Pikachu and Brock both turned to face each other, their expressions a painting of shock.  
  
"I think that something's gone on here Pikachu..." Brock murmured, still slack-jawed.  
  
("You can say that again.") Pikachu replied, equally astonished. The silence was broken by the voice of nurse Joy.  
  
"Who might you two be? We don't open to the public until nine A.M. you know." Misty's head shot up, and she blanched as she saw Brock and Pikachu staring at her, but her cheeks rapidly turned red as Pikachu's.  
  
"Um, hi Brock! Pikachu!" She said bashfully, trying her best to make it look like Ash had fallen asleep in her lap by accident. Brock noticed the defensive posture, and shook his head.  
  
"Misty, no point in trying to hide it, we saw everything. Including you charging into the bathroom after Ash to make sure he was okay." Brock and Pikachu grinned slightly as Misty coloured further.  
  
"B-but, wouldn't you do it if you thought I was ill Brock?" She came back, trying reflexively to deny the truth, while knowing it was futile to do so.  
  
("Yeah, but would you normally feed one of us a glass of water?") Pikachu snickered.  
  
"Or let us lie in your lap?" Brock followed up, smiling at Misty's hurried attempt to deny the undeniable.  
  
"Well, he-he just fell asleep like this..." Misty began and hesitated.  
  
"Or would you." Brock began  
  
("KISS us goodnight?") Pikachu finished for him, grinning widely.  
  
"Oh, well, um." Misty bowed her head in embarrassment. Silently, a teardrop rolled down her cheek.  
  
"Hey! There's no need to be like that, we were just winding you up a little Misty." Brock spoke quietly as he came over and patted her shoulder.  
  
("Yeah, we were just teasing a little. What's the problem?") Pikachu followed, jumped up on the arm of the settee, and peered at Misty.  
  
"N-nothing, I'm just a little tired that's all..." Misty choked, fighting back her mixed feelings.  
  
"C'mon Misty, I know you. What's up?" Brock rested his hand lightly on her knee.  
  
"I'm a little over-wrought, I've had a long night." Misty's glistening blue- green eyes shot him a look.  
  
"What happened last night?" Brock rubbed her knee, trying to get her to calm down.  
  
"Well, it started at about half-past twelve in the morning.."  
  
  
  
"And that's when you came in." Misty finished, taking a deep breath in relief. Over half an hour, she'd extolled the happenings of the night, from finding Ash being sick through to where they'd arrived. She'd missed out the details of the conversations about Ash's fears, her past and how Ash didn't think he was worth her worry, the tears that she and Ash had shared, skirting around them with phrases like "we talked". Pikachu noted these silences and vowed to take them up with Ash at a later date until Misty warned them in no uncertain terms that questioning what they'd said would lead to a slow and painful death. Togapi sat next to Pikachu, wondering why her mother had Ash in her arms instead of her, but sensing that it was important. A moan escaped Ash's lips, and he awoke to see Misty's face. He smiled, but then he blushed as he saw the other three watching him with interest.  
  
"Err.."He began, but was stopped by Misty's finger on his lips.  
  
"Don't worry Ash, they know everything..." She smiled, and seeing Ash's eyes widening, she hurriedly added "well, almost everything." with a wink. Ash visibly relaxed again, and slowly sat up.  
  
"Say guys, how are you?"  
  
("Better now we know you are.") Pikachu nodded.  
  
"Yeah, you had us worried." Brock added.  
  
"Well, sorry about that guys. You don't need to worry about me. So, what we gonna do today?" Ash replied, a little defensively.  
  
"You, my friend, are going to get yourself freshened up, 'cause you smell like a disused sewer" Brock said to a ruefully grinning Ash. "Then you're gonna both have a sleep. You both look totalled." He finished, gesturing at Misty. They both looked back at him with tired eyes, but eyes that glittered as snow in the sunrise. Gradually, Ash got back up again, and moved to the treatment room.  
  
"I'm picking Chikorita up, then we're heading back. Fine by you guys?" Without waiting for response, he walked through the double doors.  
  
("That's the Ash I know!") Pikachu grinned. Misty giggled to herself and looked at the floor.  
  
"But do you know the real Ash?" She muttered with a sly grin, and moved towards the treatment room. Brock and Pikachu turned and looked at each other in surprise.  
  
"What d'you suppose she meant by that?"  
  
  
  
"Ah, home sweet home." Ash threw himself on the bed, Chikorita mimicking his movement a second later. Seeing this, Pikachu and Misty sweatdropped.  
  
"Yeah, but Ash, we've only got reservations for tonight." Brock reminded him.  
  
"Don't worry, I've got a little cash tucked away Brock." Misty smiled sweetly, and dug into the side pocket of her backpack. As she withdrew the sheaf of notes, Brock made a tiny noise in his throat, like the whinnying of a minute horse. She waved the wedge of cash, and winked at him. "I think another night or two might be on the cards." She counted out a hundred dollars, and handed them to Brock. "Two more nights okay?" don't worry about getting a three-bed room, I'm sure me and Ash can work something out." Winking to him again, she sat down on the bed which Ash and Chikorita were sprawled over. Ash gave her a calculating look.  
  
"So, you did read my letter. I take it you won't be buying a bike with it then?" He nudged her gently and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"No, you may well be right there." Misty grinned back. Pikachu leaped onto the bed, and took up a position on the headboard which would allow him to watch the pair of them and the television.  
  
"So, what's this about not needing a third bed?" Ash playfully fenced. Chikorita, who had been to busy with Ash to hear Misty's comment to Brock, stiffened and watched intently.  
  
"Well, it's obvious isn't it? I'm paying for the room after all, so why should I pay for you and Brock to have a bed each?" Misty came back wittily, and Chikorita relaxed. Temporarily.  
  
"Well if that's the case, why don't we fight over the bed?" Ash pounced on Misty, mischief all over his face, and started tickling Misty remorselessly.  
  
"Hey, cut it out!" Misty squealed, and rolled away quickly. She dropped into the pit between the beds, causing a snort of laughter from Ash and Pikachu. Ash's laughter stopped half a second later as Misty grabbed a pillow from the other bed, and gave him a good-old-fashioned walloping, spraying stray feathers across the room.  
  
"That's it! This means WAR!!!" Ash screamed, dropping off the far side of the bed onto the floor as he grabbed the pillow from the bed. He rolled quickly, got to his feet, and gave a banzai yell as he sprung high into the air, trying to land a blow. Misty blocked it, and swept at his legs in retaliation, sending him flying back down onto the bed. Pikachu cried with laughter as Misty grabbed Ash's pillow with one hand, and pummelled him with her pillow in the other as Ash flung up his spare hand to fend off the onslaught. Eventually he grabbed her pillow, and used his extra strength to pull her onto the bed so he rolled on top of her, as Chikorita looked on in total bemusement. He pinned her arms to her sides, and held on to the struggling girl until she gave in.  
  
"Submit?" he asked, pinning her arms with his thighs as he picked a stray feather from a pillow out of her hair.  
  
"Oh you, well, oh you wouldn't! You WOULDN'T! Aaaahhh-AAAAHHHHH! OKAY! SUBMIT!" Misty squealed as Ash began tickling her face and neck with the feather.  
  
"Very wise, my dear. So what is the victor's prize?" Ash taunted her.  
  
"Well, what else would it be sir?" Misty seductively replied, batting her eyelids. Ash slowly bent down, as Misty craned up, lips almost touching..  
  
("Noooo!") Ash and Misty's lips broke after the briefest of interactions to see Chikorita stood on tiptoe inches away, pure horror expressed in her red eyes. ("How can you let her Ash? After all she's done to you?") Chikorita shrieked, voice filled with anger and betrayal.  
  
"Chikorita, you have to understand."  
  
("No, what is there to understand? She destroyed you, I stood by you! I loved you when no-one else cared! Now that-that bitch! She comes back to you and you love her more than me! Reject me for her! Why, Ash, WHY?") Chikorita screamed, seeming to swell with fury.  
  
"Chikorita, I do love you! Just ask Misty." Out of blind anger at the name, Chikorita snapped. Out of reflex, she whipped out a razor leaf at Misty. As she did, the world seemed to slow and fade into black and white. Misty screaming, and Pikachu looking on in disbelief. And the a hand, a hand thrown in the way of the leaf, not to catch but to deflect. And the leaf cutting deeply into flesh, tearing the hand, smashing a finger, missing Misty by inches, and embedding itself deeply in the wall. Then, as a light switching on, the world sprang back to colour. Ash span around under the force of the leaf, and grasped his wrist. Misty's scream of fear instantly became one of concern, as Pikachu screeched and leapt off the headboard to see Ash's hand better. As soon as she did, her ears flattened, and she spun on the spot to face Chikorita, fire blazing in her eyes.  
  
("I-I'm sorry! I don't know what.") Chikorita faltered, tears springing from the corner of her eyes.  
  
("Sorry? Would you still be sorry if Misty was lying there, bleeding or worse?") Pikachu cursed at her.  
  
("She took Ash away from me!") Chikorita screamed back, hackles rising.  
  
("Ash took himself away from you! And you wonder why? You were about to try and maim Misty for having the temerity of loving Ash too?") Pikachu roared, cheeks sparking up in fury.  
  
("She did take Ash away! She hurt him, then took him away from me again, after the agony he went through!")  
  
("So to get him, you're going to hurt him, push him away from you by assaulting his best friend and love, and then hope he chooses you?!") Pikachu stared Chikorita down with an incredulous expression. ("You're just doing what you despised Misty for! But she did it by accident, and she didn't do something as disgusting as physically hurting you or Ash! It just shows how much you understand life and people Chikorita! Did your family teach you ANYTHING?")  
  
("My-my family.I didn't mean to attack (hic) M-Misty, I just l-lost control.") Chikorita felt the red mist fade as Pikachu's verbal blast brought her down, and she dipped her head in submission.  
  
("Now, you pretentious little Bastard, you're going to get the shocking you deserve!") Pikachu growled, and sparked up to blast level.  
  
"NO! Pikachu, leave her alone!" Ash flung himself in between the two, and grabbed Pikachu with his good hand. "Fighting is no good! Pikachu, do you want to go down to the level Chikorita has sunk to? If you do, shock her now. If not, then help me!" Pikachu looked up at Ash, who smiled despite the agony of a mutilated hand, then up at a pale Misty with blood on her clothes, and finally across at Chikorita. Slowly, she nodded. "Okay. Chikorita, it's up to you. I won't bear a grudge or go mad at you, I won't mention this until we're ready to get it all sorted out. Can you work with Misty and Pikachu?" Chikorita cast a glance at the other two, and saw anger, but tempered by desire to see Ash to safety.  
  
("Okay.") She answered simply. Ash murmured to Misty, who released his injured hand. Chikorita backed away at the sight. Blood everywhere, various things all over the place, and the faintest white of bone. Blood, red, as the ball she'd possessed, the flames she'd seen.  
  
"Misty, hold up a sheet. Chikorita, carefully razor leaf it into strips." The two of them complied. "Now, Pikachu, wind it around my hand and wrist, quite tight, and tie it up. Pikachu did it in a flash, and completed the makeshift tourniquet. "Now, we go to the hospital." He stood up, Misty taking one arm and Chikorita tenderly leading the other arm with her vine whip. Pikachu scampered ahead, and ran headlong into Brock.  
  
"Pikachu, why you in such a rush?!" He began in irritation, only to stop as the other three emerged. "God damn it! That's the last time I'm letting you out of my sight Ash! Every time in the last day I've taken my eye off you, something has happened. What is it this time?"  
  
"Just a little incident, I kinda hurt my hand." Brock looked down at the reddening bandages, and then inside the room at the ruined sheets, feathers spread through the room, and most of all at the razor leaf in the wall.  
  
"A little incident? Now, I know you'd just love to tell me the whole story, but I think there's somewhere you need to be. Namely A&E. You will fill me in later, but just get going. I'll come down once I've cleaned and locked up here."  
  
  
  
"I've got more stitches than the cast of a Punch and Judy show." Ash groaned as they walked back to the room to prepare for the night.  
  
"Yeah, twenty-three is a lot Ash. At least you're lucky enough to still have full use of your hand. Well, in a month or two, at least." Brock reminded him. Pikachu, at their feet, sent a snide glance across at Chikorita, who stared at the pavement in shame.  
  
("Happy now?") She snarled quietly, but was picked up on by Misty. Misty had had the entire conversation between Chikorita and Pikachu translated by Ash (reluctantly at first, but Ash seemed to have no qualms about telling her everything and anything since he'd exposed his deep fragility that morning.) and was stung by the caustic edge in Pikachu's voice. Sure, Chikorita had blown up at them in a big way, but Pikachu seemed to be exploiting the weakness. *I think we're going to have to get around a table or something, and get this worked out.* Meanwhile, Ash was thinking the exact same things. *We need this sorted out straight away. If this keeps going, I'll lose either Pikachu, Misty or Chikorita. Pikachu is indispensable to me, she's been with me start to finish, and Misty is the only girl I've ever desired. But I couldn't leave Chikorita. Could I? It's time for a kangaroo court! The only way to get this discussed without side- sniping and quarrelling.* The afternoon sun beat down relentless, as the sextet as they crossed the road next to the hotel. Entering the lobby, the receptionist who had watched them leave with barely curiosity called out.  
  
"You okay now?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine."  
  
"How did it happen? If it was an accident, we've got insurance.."  
  
"Nah, it was." Ash glanced down at the dejected figure of Chikorita "Domestic dispute. Nothing to worry about."  
  
"Whew, some dispute. Hope you can avoid them in future, for your sake." The receptionist turned back to the computer screen as they all got into the lift. Togapi, who had been unusually silent for the day, suddenly started moaning.  
  
"Uh-oh, looks like someone is hungry." Misty cheerfully said, as the doors closed.  
  
"Well, we'll have to wait until we get back." Brock murmured, feeling the lift juddering up. The doors slowly opened again, and they walked to the room. Silently, Brock opened the door, and the party wandered in. Ash disappeared to the bathroom, still complaining of a dodgy stomach, and Misty reached into a cupboard for some food for Togapi, Pikachu and Chikorita. As soon as the dish reached the floor, Togapi and Pikachu almost pounced on it in delight. Chikorita hung back, with a look of uncertainty. Slowly, the smell of the food worked it's spell and she edged forwards, until she reached the rim of the bowl. As she moved to take a piece, Pikachu caught her eye, and sparked her cheeks in warning. Dolefully, Chikorita backed down, and sat a few feet away, staring longingly. Brock, sat at the end of a bed, nodded in recognition. This pretty well added up to what Ash and Misty between them had told him. Ash emerged from the bathroom, looking fresher. Taking one look at the scene going on, he cleared his throat.  
  
"Right. Brock, stay where you are. Pikachu, Chikorita, sit by the TV. Misty, you sit with me on the other bed." The orders took everyone by surprise, but the tone of voice was such that everyone had taken up their places before they even thought to question him, and one look in his face was enough to quell any dispute.  
  
"Okay then. First, I want everyone here to tell the truth. No secrets. If you lie, and we can tell -remember, we've known each other for too long for anyone to get away with it completely,- you lose everyone else's respect and trust. Brock, you can be the speaker. Take his words as the law, as he tells us when we can interrupt or must be silent. I want everyone to have their say, and that can't happen with everyone shouting at each other. Remember, no-one's on trial here, but it's been a long few days, and I'm not in the mood for arguing. So, welcome to court!" He finished with a wry smile, and sat back down. Court in session.  
  
  
  
"Chikorita, can you tell me why you attacked Misty in full." Ash began in a gentle tone.  
  
("Well, I thought she was responsible for your loss of desire to train, and you kept crying and had no energy or vigour.") She began, Ash translating for Misty and Brock. ("Every time you talked to her, you were given another verbal assault. They all beat you up, and you started believing everything she said.") Misty opened her mouth, but was held back by Ash's hand on her leg. Looking up to see him shaking his head as if to say "let her finish." She nodded, and smiled. ("So, when you got drunk with me last night, after she'd upset you again, and started calling me Chicky, I thought that you'd got over her and wanted me instead. But when you kissed her this morning, I- I just lost it. I just saw a red mist, that it seemed she was able to drag you through the dirt and still take you when she wanted to. It took me back to something which happened when I was a tiny girl. After that, I just couldn't contain my anger..") Chikorita broke off, and looked up at misty with a tear-streaked face. ("I'm so sorry Misty.")  
  
("Still doesn't excuse what you tried to do.") Pikachu growled.  
  
"Please, Pikachu, your turn will come soon." Brock interrupted. Misty met eyes with Chikorita.  
  
"Chikorita, what happened to make you do that?"  
  
("When I was only twelve weeks old, I found a ball. A red ball. It was twice my size, but I wanted it all. I lived with my parents, and three brothers. I knew when they saw the ball they would want it, so I guarded it. After a long and bitter battle one of them took the ball. One night my brothers were playing in a barn in a nearby farm with it when one of them knocked an oil lamp off a rafter. None of them got out. After that, I decided to keep it to myself, to ensure that no-one got hurt by a silly mistake. When I saw you kiss Ash, it was as if you were doing what my brothers did a long time ago. Combined with your treatment of Ash recently, it was enough to tip me over the edge. I feel terrible.") With that, Chikorita began weeping gently. Ash crouched down, and stroked her leaf tenderly with his non-bandaged hand.  
  
"C'mon Chikorita. Don't cry, just take a deep breath and listen for now." He soothed, and sat back down. "Okay, Pikachu, what do you want to say?"  
  
("I'm astounded you can let her go so easily, Ash. She did something similar to me a while ago, and we gave her the benefit of the doubt. Now, she's done it again, and someone got hurt because of her.") Pikachu's eyes met Misty's. ("Misty is like a big sister to me, and to see her attacked so wantonly stood out, made me furious.") She finished, fuming.  
  
"But Pikachu, when you saw that I'd been hurt, you were going to shock the living daylights out of Chikorita." Ash quietly interjected.  
  
("I thought she deserved it for assaulting a defenceless human out of anger.")  
  
"But you were going to assault her out of anger, and she was making no effort to defend herself. Isn't that equally rash?" Ash countered. Pikachu floundered for a moment, before bowing to the inevitable.  
  
("I suppose so. But you must realise that I have problems with Chikorita's possessiveness towards you Ash. I want you to be happy, and after this, I don't see how we can all be happy if Chikorita can't learn to live and let live.") Chikorita paused from her weeping as if to reply, but then continued.  
  
"Ash now it's your turn." Brock said to the group.  
  
"Uh, okay. Anyone need to ask me anything?" Ash questioned.  
  
("Yes, Ash. Why are you so readily prepared to forgive Chikorita after what has happened?") Pikachu piped up.  
  
"Well, I think she over-reacted, but we can't help our tempers around certain people." Ash recollected thoughts of fierce fights with Gary and Misty. "I think that's the thing we all need to remember. Like you with Gary's Eevee, Pikachu, or me with Gary himself."  
  
("There is one thing.") Chikorita spoke through her sobs.  
  
"Shoot."  
  
("Why are you so easily hurt by Misty's insults Ash?")  
  
"Ah. I'm afraid that is a matter between me and Misty." Misty put an arm around Ash, nodding in agreement.  
  
("I thought you said no secrets!") Pikachu taunted.  
  
"Brock, tell them." Brock sighed, and nodded.  
  
"I'm afraid that is between Misty and Ash, and doesn't make any difference to the aims of the discussion. Much as I would like to know, I can't make them answer that question." Brock glared daggers at Ash and Misty, who in turn scratched their heads in embarrassment.  
  
"I'm sure, when he's ready, Ash'll tell all you guys what he told me. But it's taken him a long time and a lot of effort to say what he said, so let it be." Misty glanced at each of her friends in turn, and received nods of assent.  
  
"Okay then. Now, who needs to say anything to Misty?"  
  
("I have, Ash.") Chikorita said, almost in a whisper.  
  
"Go on then Chikorita."  
  
("Well, I'd like to know if you are going to attack Ash any more. I don't know if I could bare the thought.") Misty shook her head slowly.  
  
"That was sorted out last night as well. I'd rather not talk about it, it's kinda personal." Misty finished, aquamarine eyes pleading Chikorita not to pry any further. Chikorita met her gaze for a moment, and then smiled.  
  
("Okay Misty. Tell us when you're ready.") Chikorita replied. Pikachu face faulted in surprise. *Perhaps Chikorita is coming around after all.* ("But Ash, could I know something?") Chikorita turned back to Ash. ("Why can't you love me as you.love Misty?") Ash paused, considering his answer.  
  
"Well, have you ever thought about how a relationship between me and you would work? We'd be cast as freaks, we couldn't ever love each other in a true manner, as we're two different species. We couldn't have a family. Don't think I don't love you Chikorita, I love you as a sister or a close friend but, after six years together, there's only one love of my life." Ash and Misty turned to face each other, and gave each other the merest peck on the lips. "I hope that you can see that better now Chikorita. I used to think like you do, that I couldn't share things with anyone else, but it really is better to live and let live than hold things to yourself." Ash took a deep breath, and nodded. "Anything else?" No-one moved. "Right, I hope that this has cleared everything up. Court adjourned!" Misty and Brock giggled at the joke, while Pikachu and Chikorita eyed each other carefully. Slowly, Chikorita shuffled forwards, and offered her front paw.  
  
("Truce?") Pikachu looked deep into her hopeful red eyes, and made her choice.  
  
("Truce.") They shook on it, and nodded to one another as Brock stood up again.  
  
"I don't know about all of you, but I'm going to go and get ready for the last night of the festival. I'm first in the shower!" Brock sprinted into the bathroom, narrowly defeating the multi-coloured blurs of Misty and Pikachu.  
  
"Okay Brock, open up!" Misty hammered on the door, steam coming out of her ears.  
  
("Yeah! You know it's girls first in the bathroom!") Pikachu added, only to be annoyed further by the sound of running water, and rather bad crooning shortly after.  
  
"You better now Chikorita?" Ash crouched down to her, and tenderly stroked her.  
  
("Yes, I-I think so.") Chikorita slowly melted as Ash's caresses took affect.  
  
"You do know that if you ever need me, I'm here for you don't you?" He murmured to her, picking her up with one arm and carrying her to the bed.  
  
("Yes, I do. I just wish you would trust me with what you hide.") Chikorita looked up into two pools of brown, and held her breath.  
  
"Yes, I guess you're right." Ash sat on the bed, Chikorita in his lap. "But you must understand that although I am with Misty, I'll still love you. Nothing will ever change that." He hugged her gently, and felt her nuzzle into his chest. Looking up at him with delight radiating from every feature, she asked  
  
("So, Pikachu will be busy for at least, oh, half an hour, so how about telling me a little about why you're so sensitive to Misty's criticism?") Ash looked at her pseudo-innocent expression.  
  
"I'm not going to shift you when you've got your mind set on something am I? Okay, it all started back as a kid in Pallet town.."  
  
  
  
Fireworks graced the sky, creating kaleidoscopic patterns against the stars and moon. From atop the big wheel, Ash and Misty breathed silently in wonder at the view. Fields and woods rolling across the world, rivers and lakes glittering in the flashes of silver and gold. Brock had shanghaied Pikachu, Chikorita and Togapi onto his carriage, with an excellent piece of foresight, leaving Misty and Ash in their own carriage a few behind. As his carriage began it's slow descent, he looked back across to the carriage about to reach the peak, and grinned to himself. He then turned back to the pokemon, and gazed at the plains illuminated in hues of fire and ice.  
  
  
  
Misty held Ash's hand tightly as they gently approached the peak of their ride.  
  
"From over a hundred feet up, the countryside almost looks like it does on the maps. Perhaps if I could travel at this height I could read a map right too!" He joked.  
  
"Yeah. Maybe then I could get away without killing you twice a day." Misty's Aqua eyes roved around, drinking the scene in and painting it in pastels deep into her memory.  
  
"It's gonna be strange for a while, travelling without screaming at each other. I hope we don't end up at each other's throats again." Ash's eyes misted over. "Although given the choice, I'd still have had that argument with you. It seems like weeks since that took place." Misty blinked once, and turned slightly to look him in the face.  
  
"I wouldn't have had that argument with you at all Ash." Noting the shock filtering into his stare, she giggled. "I should've told you ages ago."  
  
"If it makes it any better Misty, I think we're both guilty of that. If shyness is something you can be guilty of." He squeezed her hands in his. "Besides, if we hadn't rowed, would we ever have known each other like we do? Or perhaps you'd be happier with the old, all-action Ash not the boring- old-miserable Ash you met today.." His words died on the spot as Misty pulled him into a passion filled kiss. Slowly, he returned the kiss, until they broke seconds later.  
  
"Ash, I wouldn't change you for the world. Anyone who would try to catch a Gyarados for me is my hero, whether he doubts it or not."  
  
"Ah, so you did read my diary." Misty paled as she realised her slip. As she opened her mouth to apologise, she was silenced by Ash's finger on her lips. "Misty, if you hadn't read my diary, you wouldn't be human. Let's just say, you owe me one okay?" He said mischievously.  
  
"Can I pay you back now?" She said, taking him deep into her arms.  
  
"Hmmm, maybe I should wait for a while and charge you interest!" He mocked, drawing her closer still.  
  
"Sorry, but this bill can't wait.." As their mouths met again, a firework flashed behind them, bathing them in a sensual pink light, masking the flash of a camera. Brock stepped back, look of delight on his face, Kodak in hand. As Misty and Ash continued unaware, he slipped the camera back into his pocket.  
  
*Looks like a few people will want to see the enlargements of this!* He laughed in satisfaction. Deliah, Tracey, Misty's sisters, Prof. Oak, Duplica, Erika, just about everyone they'd ever met had placed a little bet with him on the eventual time which the two of them got together, and he was going to start calling in some old scores. But for tonight.. let it be. Chikorita, Pikachu and Togapi looked across at him, and nodded together. Just for tonight, let it be.  
  
  
  
Kinda corny ending huh? Well, I think I'll write an epilogue for this story too, just to tie up a couple of things and indicate the relationships in the near future. So, C'ya soon, and don't forget to R&R! 


	6. Epilogue - Photographs and Late Baths

I've decided to upgrade this to PG-13 on the account that this part contains nudity, but no detail. If I should put it up to R, or if it's fine as PG, then tell me! The reviews really helped me through, and I'd like feedback on overall impressions and suggestions for improvements. They have been positive and helpful to this point, so if it's worth me writing another let me know. (Tries big Anime Cavalier King Charles puppy eyes.) Pleeeeease?  
  
Enough simpering, on with the epilogue!  
  
Picture a scene. The sun shines down, view only obscured by a few errant clouds which hovered in the sky, as if modelled by cotton wool and stuck into place just as a reminder of how it could be. Pan downwards, see a few green and brown mountains sat in the hazy distance, as they have for thousands of years, motionless and ageless. Further down, nearer to the viewer, a forest, a seemingly endless crowd of green, moving as if blades of grass in a rich pasture. A distant city sits, waiting. Look closer. A leafy glade. A few figures stand in it. Come closer. One, a tall girl of about 14, with red hair tied cascading over her shoulders, watching the scene in front of her, and in particular one of the trainers with unconcealed delight. One, a older teen with dark brown hair, applauding the events which have just taken place and not-so discreetly drooling over the losing trainer. One, a young lady in her twenties with golden hair and blue eyes blank with shock, a charizard and Jolteon in a crumpled heap before her. The other, a young teen of around 14 crouching down to receive the hugs of his pokemon, and winking at the red-head stood alongside him.  
  
"Wow. I didn't expect that.." The woman shook her head in disbelief, mane of hair rippling at the movement, sending Brock into further paroxysms of lust. "You've really got some skill, y'know."  
  
"Thanks miss." Ash stepped forwards, tailed by Chikorita and Pikachu, and shook her hand.  
  
"That's Mrs." The other trainer angled a golden ring so the sunlight glinted off it into Brock's face in obvious warning. Brock slumped to the ground in defeat, and pounded it with his fist. "Good move, using your Chikorita to catch my Charizard, and having Pikachu jump across it's path, so Jolteon shocked it as well as Pikachu. Then using Chikorita's vine whip to direct it's fall onto Jolteon." Ash scratched his head in embarrassment at the praise.  
  
"Uh, well, I used to have a Charizard, so I know how to deal with one. But you're pokemon were good too, I just got lucky."  
  
"Maybe." She recalled her Pokemon and looked Ash in the eye. "But maybe not. I know class when I see it, and I see it before me. Beating me with unevolved pokemon with an overall type mismatch, well, that's not luck." She turned around, and strode off through the undergrowth.  
  
"You two were great together. You should be congratulated not me." Ash bent down to Chikorita and Pikachu, and stroked them together, careful to keep his right hand in it's sling.  
  
("We couldn't have done it without your plan.") Pikachu said, nuzzling him back.  
  
("Yeah! Besides, I still have to pay you back for that.") Chikorita glanced at Ash's bandaged hand, her face a painting of remorse.  
  
"Chikorita, I forgave you as soon as it cut into my hand. Don't think you have to do this for me, do it for yourselves. I'm not the one winning the fight."  
  
("Ash, you know you said that Chikorita and I make a great team?") Pikachu nudged me, a look of annoyance on her face.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"("Don't you realise that this battle wasn't two on two, but three on three?") Chikorita and Pikachu looked at each other and nodded. ("You don't use a tackle attack or thunder Ash, but you're still one of the team.") Ash's smile widened, and he drew the two of them into a tight hug.  
  
"You were great Ash!" Misty stepped closer to him, and helped him up from his crouch. Ash gave her a winsome grin.  
  
"This seems a little like deja-vu to you?" Her face briefly creased into a frown, which broke into a laugh.  
  
"Yes, until this." She drew him into a deep kiss, her mind dancing in delight. As they broke apart, they blushed slightly at the assorted audience. Chikorita's eyes flashed in jealousy for a split-second, but she broke into a smile nonetheless. Pikachu balanced herself on her tail tip, and gave them an ironic round of applause. Brock peeled himself off the floor after his seventeen-thousandth rejection, and gave them both a big cheesy grin. Misty gave them all a warning glance, before sitting down.  
  
"So guys, we'll set up for the night here, and I'll go off to the river to get us some water." Brock bent down to his bag, and picked up a container before sauntering off into the woods himself.  
  
"Mist, I'll get the utensils out." Ash began to rummage in the bag, as Misty leaned over to rub his back.  
  
"Ash, why did you try to blow off that last victory? Like it was an accident, or luck?" She probed gently as Ash delved further into the bag.  
  
"Well, I wasn't really responsible, it was Chikorita and Pikachu's combination work with a little luck which pulled it off." He replied, hand still blindly seeking a spoon.  
  
"Ash, we talked about this. You have to believe that you can do things, that you can believe in yourself." Misty soothed.  
  
("Don't forget it Ash.") Chikorita chipped in.  
  
"Yeah guys, maybe you're right." Ash thanked them.  
  
"Of course we're right! We're women!" Misty and Chikorita sniggered. Pikachu looked on blankly. *Someday I'm gonna shock the living daylights outta them until they tell me what they know that I don't!*  
  
"Why you."Ash began in mock indignation, but then froze. "What the!"  
  
"Ash?" Misty's eyes flashed in astonishment as Ash's left hand drew out a thick wedge of banknotes.  
  
"H-how the hell did Brock get this?!" Ash's hand dug into the bag again, and withdrew a picture envelope. "He didn't tell me he'd taken any pictures!" He drew the sheaf of pictures out of the envelope, and smiled. Pictures of the festival, Misty with her face obscured by candy floss, Ash playing a throwing game (to great effect, his years of throwing pokeballs had made him a certain winner.) Him and Misty striking victory poses, them on the dodgems together, and shots of and from on the big wheel. Ash and Misty held hands as she leafed through them, examining them and recounting the memories.  
  
"Doesn't seem like a week." Ash dreamed.  
  
"Yeah - Hang on a minute. There's only twenty-three pictures here!" Misty wondered aloud.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Films come with twenty-four pictures, not twenty-three." Misty lifted up the flap of the envelope the pictures came in while Ash dug into the bag, fingers searching for the lost photo. As his fingers drew out a piece of paper, Misty gasped beside him. "Oh Ash, look at this!" Ash looked across, and saw himself and Misty in a passionate kiss, bathed in pink light and framed against the night sky. He looked back at this piece of paper, and his eyebrows did the high-jump.  
  
"Forget that Mist, look at this! It says: sent photocopy of the picture to Deliah Ketchum, Tracey, Duplica, Buggsy, Sabrina, geez there must be fifty names here! It goes on to say, this picture is proof that I won the bet, Ash and Misty got it together within one week of his 14th birthday..received twenty dollars from Tracey, Ritchie, Prof. Oak, Gary..What the hell?!" Misty craned over to read the paper, and her mouth dropped open so wide it could have acted as a garage for a Cadillac.  
  
"He's bet with all these people when we would get together?! Gary's there, your mother, my sisters, professor Oak, Gary?! Twenty dollars each, this goes back as far as back when we first started the journey! All these people thought this would happen, and it's taken us four years?" She scanned the list again. "Looks like daisy was next in line if we'd waited a few days. Brock stands to make, well, over a thousand dollars out of this!" Chocolate eyes met aqua, and both pairs narrowed. Pikachu and Chikorita, who were both with Brock at the time he took the photo, took the wisest option, and ran for the hills. Misty drew her mallet, and handed a backup to Ash. "Lock and load. When our little friend returns, we're going to be having a little friendly chat. Remember, kneecaps first.."  
  
"And then where you really don't want it!" Ash finished, with an evil snicker. They shared a quick peck on the lips, and settled down to wait for their prey. A few minutes later, Brock approached.  
  
"Okay guys, I've got the water, now let's AAAAAAH!!"  
  
"Threatening Brock was kinda fun!" Misty swam across the moonlit river, clothed by darkness.  
  
"Yeah. He can be thankful we said he could keep some of the money though." Ash said back, diving into the river, sending ripples randomly in a million directions. He surfaced, and looked across at Misty's silhouette cast as a shadow on a canvas of woods and water, and bathed for a moment in her beauty. "Y'know Mist, we've been together for four years, and this is the first time we've ever taken a swim together."  
  
"Yeah, well it would look.odd for two teenagers to be together in a river together, well..." Misty's cheeks reddened.  
  
"Too late to get bashful now Mist. Besides, the water's so soothing. I could just float away, happy as a baby in a cradle." Ash soothed, drifting on his back, staring up at the moon.  
  
"It is a beautiful night. I just can't believe that a week ago you were ready to walk out of my life." A nervous giggle escaped her, and bounced across the water. "And now the two of us are here in the dead of night, swimming.naked." Ash smiled to himself at .  
  
"Can you think of any other way? I always find that my cap gets washed away otherwise. Don't worry about it Mist. Even if you feel self-conscious, darkness is the best cloak known to man. And it's only me here. Brock is a little.tied up, as we both know." Two peals of laughter echoed through the silent forest as the image of Brock's bound and gagged figure swam into their minds.  
  
"Ash?" Misty's voice, now sounding timid, echoed across the scene.  
  
"Yes Mist?" Ash replied wading across to her.  
  
"I don't think I can ever remember a night as beautiful as this." Misty gazed in wonder at the dark sky, the crescent of the moon, and stars winking throughout the black screen.  
  
"You do know what the most beautiful thing tonight is?" Ash reached Misty, and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "It's you." Misty gasped in delight, which was drowned as they pulled each other into a deep, all-enveloping kiss. There they stayed, beneath the pale moon for what seemed a lifetime, until eventually they waded to shore still holding each other tightly. Ash giggled again as they slowly let each other go. "I wonder how Brock would react if we walked in hand in hand like we are now?" He smiled.  
  
"He'd throw a total hissy fit!" through the glow of the moon, each of them could just make out the wide smiles of the other. "then, he'd probably jump straight to the wrong conclusions."  
  
"Or start drooling over you!" Ash joked, wandering over to his clothes.  
  
"Uuurgh, there's an image I really didn't want!" Misty paused for a moment. "Ash?" She picked up her towel and rubbed herself off briskly.  
  
"Yes?" Ash replied softly, drying himself.  
  
"I know we were under darkness, and we only kissed, but would you not tell anyone? About tonight?" Misty's fears were burnt to the ground as Ash silently kissed her again.  
  
"Mist, this has been one of the best nights of my life, and it'll stay in my memory forever. I don't want it tarnished by other people. Of course I'll keep it secret. There are a few secrets you shouldn't have to share." A shared wink and a smile, and the two of them walked back to the camp, hand in hand.  
  
THE END 


End file.
